Shane Ferguson, MD

Shane, born and raised in Niagara Falls, NY, was one of three brothers in a close-knit family. A graduate of LaSalle Senior High School, Shane earned his Bachelor's Degree, summa cum laude, from SUNY Buffalo and his M.D, magna cum laude, at the UB School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at Women's and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and received the Frederick B. Wilkes Award for Excellence in Pediatrics.

As Shane's patients would attest, from the time he joined Town and Village Pediatrics of Amherst in 1998, he practiced with compassion, empathy and respect. He was never too busy to listen to a parent's or a child's concerns and made those concerns his own, often going above the call of duty to ensure that his patients were receiving proper care and attention.

Despite his professional dedication, Shane always made his family his first priority. During his residency, Shane met Gail Smallen, a fellow pediatrician. They were married in 1997 and had three children, two daughters and a son. They chose to remain and practice in the Western New York area and maintained close relationships with their families.

At the age of 34, Shane was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. Despite cutting-edge treatment at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, he passed away three years later.

During his illness, Shane often denounced the lack of funding to research his rare tumor. However, prior to his death, he requested that any money donated in his name should be directed to pediatric cancers. His goal, as always, was to help children reach their full potential -- in this case, giving young cancer patients the chance to optimize their futures.

Kids Create Hope accepts donations year-round:
Mail to: Ferguson Fund,
   P.O. Box 222,
   E. Amherst, NY 14051
Make checks payable to:
   "Ferguson Endowed Fund"

For additional information:
info@kidscreatehope.org
716-491-5545