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4-year-old with brain tumor gets star treatment as honorary police officer

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. — A 4-year-old was smiling ear to ear Saturday while he got to be an honorary Boston police officer for the day and member of their basketball team at a cancer research fundraiser in Massachusetts.

"We won't know where we'll be a year from now, but today my son's he's happy as he can be," said dad David Higgins.

Declan Higgins, a huge BPD fan, and is being treated for a stage 3 brain tumor. He's had surgery and radiation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the tumor.

"It's one day at a time," David said.

On Saturday, complete with a hat and mini badge, Declan was picked up from his Medfield home and escorted to West Roxbury for a day of fun and basketball.

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Boston police officers were playing in the annual A Shot For Life: Battle of the Badges to raise money and awareness for brain cancer research at the Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. Declan got the chance to be part of their team as an honorary player.

"I'm honored that he's here. He's my favorite player today," said nonprofit leader Mike Slonina.

Slonina started the nonprofit following his mother's brain cancer diagnosis in 2010.

"It's supposed to united people through basketball," he said.

And that it did. A large crowd of people were in West Roxbury to cheer Declan on as he arrived before the game. There were posters, cheerleaders and plenty of police officers giving the 4-year-old the basketball star treatment.

"We open up our hearts; that's we do," said Sgt. Detective Joe Sullivan with the BPD, who helped organize the day.

Declan walked into the gym and changed into his BPD jersey. He shot some hoops and even got into the game with the officers as they played in the Battle of the Badges.

In support of the fundraiser, the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, TD Garden and Prudential Tower were lit in red and blue Saturday night.

Declan Higgins

Fox25Boston.com