Andrew was a smart, kind, generous, and funny boy who accomplished many things! From a young age, Andrew had an undeniable charisma, a keen intellect and a genuine interest in others. He was a celebrity in his community and would converse with everyone from the lunch lady, the hall aide, the man behind the counter, to the chemo nurse. He asked about their lives and genuinely cared about their answers.
Andrew battled Ewing’s Sarcoma for more years than he didn’t. He spent his sixth birthday at Sloan Kettering exploring the playroom attached to an IV pole with chemotherapy. He had countless rounds of chemo and radiation, multiple surgeries, participated in several clinical trials, and even went to Germany for immunotherapy. He perfected the drive-thru brain surgery-in and out in 36 hours, then back to school and friends and his real life.
Andrew was the North Shore High School salutatorian, earned four gold medals in math research and presented his paper on the Fibonacci sequence in Unilateral Quadratic equations at MIT. Andrew was admitted to Hofstra’s prestigious B.S.-B.A./M.D. program because he wanted to study medicine and help others. Andrew inspired others to support cancer survivors and cancer research through the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in which he was so passionate. He was the top fundraiser in the tri-state area for several years and helped raise over $125,000.
Andrew inspired us through his story, his smile and his passion to help others. He was destined to become a physician and provide compassionate care as he had received. We seek to realize his dream, his passion for medicine and help those already on the path.
Our son, Andrew will forever be in our hearts and minds. To honor Andrew’s accomplishments, his philanthropic spirit and the extraordinary life he led, please join us as we establish The Andrew Fierstein Memorial Endowment and raise $100K to endow his legacy forever.
The Andrew Fierstein Memorial Endowment will be presented annually to a pediatric resident enrolled in an accredited New York pediatric training program.