Children’s hospital patient throws first pitch at Boston Red Sox game

BOSTON (WPRI) — Last week, a Hasbro Children’s Hospital patient had the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Boston Red Sox game.

To mark the beginning of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Providence resident Rahman Afrifa took the Fenway Park field on Monday with a big smile.

Rahman was diagnosed with an optic pathway glioma at 8 months old, according to Brown University Health. Since then, he has received regular treatment at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

Described as a “shining star,” Rahman lives at home with his parents, twin sister and three older siblings. He also joined more than 300 pediatric patients and their families from hospitals across the region in forming a yellow ribbon on the field, symbolizing the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, an optic pathway glioma is a slow-growing brain tumor near the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. It can cause vision problems, though blindness occurs in only about 5% of cases, and the tumors generally have a high cure rate. Nearly 75% of cases are diagnosed in children under 10.