A Special Day at Busch Stadium: Mendon Girl Honored During American Cancer Society Event
Twelve-year-old Kerrylee Rosson, who has been courageously battling a brain tumor, joined other children on the field before Sunday’s Cardinals game for a day her family will not soon forget.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. For thousands of fans filling Busch Stadium on Sunday, it was an afternoon of Cardinals baseball. For one Quincy-area family, the day carried a meaning that went far beyond the final score.
Twelve-year-old Kerrylee Rosson of Mendon was among the special guests recognized during American Cancer Society Day at the Ballpark, an annual event bringing the American Cancer Society and St. Louis Cardinals together to support patients, celebrate those affected by cancer and raise money for research and services.
The American Cancer Society says the event has generated more than $1.5 million to support patients, advance cancer research and continue progress against the disease. Sunday’s event included early stadium access and a variety of special pregame experiences for participating families.
For Kerrylee, who has been battling a brain tumor, those activities eventually led somewhere few young Cardinals fans ever get to stand.
The field at Busch Stadium.
A Day Filled With Cardinals Memories
Kerrylee attended Sunday’s game with her parents, grandmother and other family members, arriving early enough to take advantage of the special activities offered before the Cardinals took on the Chicago White Sox.
Her mother said it made for a long day, but one filled with experiences Kerrylee embraced from beginning to end.
Among the first stops was an opportunity to pose for a photograph with the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series trophy.
There was also another coveted piece of Cardinals memorabilia waiting for young fans Sunday. The team’s promotional schedule called for 10,000 children age 15 and younger to receive a Cardinals Mystery Squishy Dumpling, which quickly became one of the day’s popular giveaways.
Kerrylee came away with what her mother described as the multicolored dumpling, but the souvenir soon became even more memorable.
During the day, Kerrylee approached Cardinals player Alec Burleson and handed him the dumpling box to autograph.
Her mother recalled Burleson looking at the unusual item and responding, “Well this is a first.”
It was one of several lighthearted moments during a day built around something much more serious.
Taking the Field at Busch Stadium
The highlight came before the first pitch.
Kerrylee and several other children participating in the American Cancer Society event were brought down to the field and incorporated into a special pregame lineup.
For a few moments, the children occupied positions on the Busch Stadium field before the Cardinals came out.
Their names were announced inside one of Major League Baseball’s most recognizable ballparks.
For Kerrylee, there was also plenty of interaction with a familiar red-feathered celebrity.
Her mother said the Team Fredbird representative assigned to Kerrylee helped make the experience particularly special. Kerrylee exchanged high-fives with Fredbird, played a game of hot hands with the Cardinals mascot and received a hug.
Fredbird, her mother noted, is Kerrylee’s favorite Cardinal, with Burleson ranking close behind.
Then came the players.
As members of the Cardinals took the field, the children stepped aside for the players who would occupy their respective positions. As part of the ceremony, each child received a baseball signed by the player connected with that position.
Kerrylee received an autographed baseball from Bryan Torres.
For a 12-year-old baseball fan, it was a souvenir.
For her family, it was something more.
It became another tangible reminder of a day when the difficult realities of doctors, treatments and uncertainty could temporarily give way to baseball, laughter and the excitement of standing on a Major League field.
A Chance to Simply Be a Kid
There were plenty of smaller moments, too.
Kerrylee sat in the stands and watched the Cardinals warm up. She enjoyed Dippin’ Dots, something her mother said is one of her favorite parts of attending a game.
Eventually, the length of the day caught up with her.
“Halfway through the game she took a short nap on my shoulder,” her mother told Quincy Current. “And then was good to go.”
It is a small detail, but perhaps one that captures the day better than anything else.
For families navigating serious illness with a child, ordinary childhood experiences can take on extraordinary significance.
More Than a Baseball Game
American Cancer Society Day at the Ballpark is designed to create those moments while supporting a much larger mission.
The organization says proceeds from the longstanding partnership with the Cardinals support cancer research, patient services, prevention, early detection and advocacy. Pregame activities for participating families have included player autograph opportunities, dugout tours, World Series trophy photographs and other experiences inside Busch Stadium.
Sunday showed what those efforts can look like on a personal level.
Thousands of fans may have seen several children standing on the field before a baseball game.
For the families standing nearby, each child carried a story into Busch Stadium with them.
Kerrylee carried hers from Mendon.
Her story includes a brain tumor and a battle no 12-year-old should have to face, but Sunday added another chapter. This one included Fredbird, a World Series trophy, Dippin’ Dots, an autographed dumpling box and a baseball signed by a Cardinal.
Most importantly, it included a young girl getting the chance to walk onto the field at Busch Stadium, hear her name announced and simply enjoy being a Cardinals fan.
For one afternoon, cancer did not get the spotlight.
Kerrylee did.
