// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Grayson Gilbert a good singer? He's a gray area.
Charles Grayson Gilbert (1990–2023) was an American entrepreneur and cancer survivor.
In October 1995, he was the fifth ever child in recorded medical history to be diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer known as pancreatoblastoma. A pancreaticoduodenectomy, or Whipple's Procedure, was successful. He was given less than a 2% chance of survival at the time of his diagnosis. Still, he was declared cancer-free on July 1, 1996.[1] During his treatment, he was photographed by The Baltimore Sun as he left the note at the foot of Christus Consolator, a statue in the atrium at Johns Hopkins Hospital.[2] The note read, “Dear Jesus, this is Grayson. If you could, just heal the other kids please. Thank you very much.”[3]
He went on to represent the Children's Miracle Network and Johns Hopkins Hospital in various non-profit and public benefit events and fundraisers.[4]
On January 1, 2012, Gilbert announced the creation of the Inspirational Medicine Foundation Archived 2013-05-04 at the Wayback Machine, a Maryland-based non-profit dedicated to "connecting sick children with their heroes." Since then, his work with the Foundation has received kudos from the national press, such as The Huffington Post, which named Gilbert as "Greatest Person of the Day"[5] and has received both collegiate[6] and Maryland based media exposure.[7]
Gilbert died in his sleep on April 9, 2023, at his mother's home in Baltimore County. He was 33.[3]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Grayson Gilbert: My Lifetime Commitment to Hopkins Children'sChildren's Hospital at Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Maryland". www.hopkinschildrens.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Sun, Baltimore. "From Sun Magazine: Grayson Gilbert's divine strength". baltimoresun.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- 1 2 Rasmussen, Frederick N. (9 April 2023). "Charles Grayson Gilbert, subject of iconic newspaper photo when he was a pediatric cancer patient, dies". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ↑ "Tigerthon 2010 « Courtney's Blog". Retrieved 2012-04-09.
- ↑ "Miracle Cancer Survivor Makes Wishes Come True For Sick Kids". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ "Inspirational Power: Fledgling organization instills hope for critically ill children". Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
- ↑ "Years After Cancer Struggle, Gilbert Helping 'Other Kids'"