A lot of fun things happen in September. State fairs, back-to-school, the Labor Day holiday, last camping trips, and the melancholy beauty of the approaching fall. As you’re breaking out the evening tea and watching the burning sunsets, how about a delicious cookie to go with the experience? Better yet, how about holding a bake sale?
September is Pediatric Cancer Month. Each year, nearly 13,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer. The Pediatric Cancer Foundation continues to work to raise money to battle this devastating disease, and this month, you can help, just by baking some cookies!
The “Cookies for Kids’ Cancer” organization was started when 2-year-old Liam was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, and his parents learned that little money was being spent on research. His mother, Gretchen, decided to have a bake sale with the goal of baking 96,000 cookies with friends and volunteers, to raise money. The event took in over $400,000 for pediatric cancer research, and the idea spread across the country.
This month, individuals, schools, churches, clubs, and businesses will hold bake sales under the banner “Cookies for Cancer” to help raise money for research. If you like the idea, check out the steps for holding your own bake sale, or simply log on and buy some cookies created by the organization. They’re made of all natural ingredients, with no preservatives or trans-fats, and hand baked fresh to order.
When you’re finished eating, clean up and throw your stuff away in a Glad bag. Glad is conducting a matching program this year with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. All funds raised through bake sales in November and December will be matched, up to $100,000. Shower off after baking with Philosophy Oatmeal Raisin shower gel, as proceeds from its sales will also go to the organization. Finally, if you want to get in a round of golf before the seasons change, Columbia University Medical Center is holding a tournament that will support research in stem and cellular therapies to combat cancer.
Keep your eyes and ears open, as many more events will be happening around the country to support Pediatric Cancer Month. We’ve seen a lot of progress in treatments and survival rates, but cancer is still the most common cause of death by disease for children and adolescents. If you’ve been touched by childhood cancer in some way-someone you know, your own child, or if you had cancer as a child-consider getting involved this month, any way you can. Buy a cookie, hold a bake sale, play some golf, take part in your community run or ride, or consider wearing the official ribbon of children with cancer worldwide, the gold ribbon. As a concerned citizen says on the tuscaloosanews.com forum, “I have participated in the ride [Camp Smile-A-Mile bicyclist ride] for six years….My hope is that one day there will be no reason for the ride because a cure has been found.”
Are you planning to get involved in raising money to fight pediatric cancer? Let us know!
Photo courtesy of wazari via Flickr.com.
