A Culpeper toddler diagnosed with cancer died Monday, just shy of his second birthday.
Gavin Beltran, who would have turned two on Dec. 31, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in July following several months of searching for the cause of his illness. AML, based in the blood, is mainly known to occur in adults but affects about 500 children annually nationwide.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday.
After Gavin was featured in a Star-Exponent article in October, the community began to embrace and rally around the Beltran family, holding fundraisers to help pay for his medical bills.
On Sunday, Rick Rosica Jr. and his wife, Cindy, spearheaded a fundraising event at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church’s parish hall, raising more than $1,900.
Every year, Rosica explained, his Seventh Day Adventist church chooses a family to support.
“This is something that we wanted to do to help alleviate the financial burden,” said Rosica. “We knew they had a special need, and it’s pretty staggering for a family to have to go through this.”
In November, the Goodfellows — a local nonprofit organization — raised and donated $5,000 to the family.
Karen Rosica, a communications director at St. Stephens and Rick Rosica’s sister, said her family is deeply saddened.
Gavin is survived by parents Anthony and Amber Beltran and his older brother Logan.
Want to donate?
If you are interested in helping the Beltran family pay its medical bills, give to the Gavin Beltran Leukemia Fund, c/o Fauquier Bank, 10 Courthouse Square, Warrenton, VA 20186.
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