A shout out to my niece.

[*michaelsean*]

Now she will never see this, but I still thought I'd give her some kudos. In 2012 her father, my brother died of a glio blastoma. She was a year younger than my daughter so she would have been a freshman in high school. The doctors said that the tumor was almost certainly caused by radiation my brother received when he was a senior in high school for Hodgkins. Very shortly after his death my niece got with her guidance counselor and said she wanted to do something positive. Together they came up with Night for the Fight underneath the umbrella of Cancer Free Kids. About 9 months after my brother died they held the first one at Cintas Center. It's basically a walk-a-thon. High school kids create teams and they go out and get donations. They have inspirational speakers and quite a few children who are cancer survivors attend, and then they walk around the Cintas Center all night long.

I think they had 300 kids that first year and I'm not sure how much they raised. Probably $50,000. A heck of a start for pulling it off so quickly. This year which I believe is their 5th they had 1300 kids and raised $205,000. I believe their total expenses were less than $1500. Pretty good for a 20yr old.

To quote Geral McRaney in "This is Us", "You took the sourest lemon life has to offer, and turned it into something resembling lemonade".

[Benton]

Always good to have a positive story. Thanks for sharing.

[Vas Deferens]

Very cool. What career path is she pursuing?

[*michaelsean*]

(02-13-2017, 05:12 PM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Very cool.   What career path is she pursuing?

She's a sophomore at UC.  I believe she's in marketing.

[Vas Deferens]

(02-13-2017, 05:22 PM)michaelsean Wrote: She's a sophomore at UC.  I believe she's in marketing.

She's going to have a leg up on the competition coming out of college. That's a hell of a resume boost. Good for her.

[Sabretooth]

Sorry for the loss of your brother, sounds like your niece is well on her way to leading a meaningful positive life.
Kudos to her and those who shaped her thinking .

[reuben.ahmed]

Thank you for that story and sorry for your loss!

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

Obviously, you're pride in her is well deserved. Seems your brother did a good job raising her in the sort time they had together.

[Bengalzona]

Your brother would be so proud!

[*michaelsean*]

Just an update. (Missed a year) Saturday night was the seventh year. There were 1500 students in attendance, and their total for the seven years has crossed the million dollar marker. That's after expenses. It's a million dollars going straight to research. Seven years to the first million, and they think they can hit the second million in as little as three years. I'm proud of you, Kelly.

[sandwedge]

(02-25-2019, 11:16 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Just an update. (Missed a year) Saturday night was the seventh year.    There were 1500 students in attendance, and their total for the seven years has crossed the million dollar marker.  That's after expenses.  It's a million dollars going straight to research.  Seven years to   the first million, and they think they can hit the second million in as little as three years.  I'm proud of you, Kelly.

And you should be proud of her! Awesome job Kelly!

[HarleyDog]

Wow michaelsean - Didn't see this post until now. What an amazing young woman. On my way to and from work, there is a pickup truck sitting in the middle of a field. It has been there for a few years now and has not moved. In the back window is very large lettering that says Cancer Sucks! It's a stern daily reminder of how bad cancer really is and the impact its had on so many lives and families. I do not know the owner of the truck, but I assume it's someone who has passed and has never been moved. Grass and weeds have grown around it. Having lost my brother to cancer in 2014, and my Mother to cancer as well in 2015, well, you know, it's just sad the power it has and that we have not been able to find a cure.

I think your niece is amazing trying to raise money for research. The success she has achieved speaks volumes in the amount of effort she has put into such a cause. Here's to hoping a cure is found in the near future. So many people rather it be patients or families suffer everyday. What a great story you put on here.

[Vas Deferens]

Kudos for sure.

Great work Kelly.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

As a survivor, I am super grateful that there are young people doing their best to fight for a cure.

I always take part in any cancer-related event that my work participates in and I am more than proud to donate money and work harder for a cure; reading this today (for the first time), has inspired me to try and get my kids (when I have them! lol) to do something positive like this.

Would be great, kudos and many thanks to your niece!

[Cure4CF]

Raising money is very difficult and she is kicking butt! I hope she doesn’t ever get discouraged and keeps going until there’s a cure. Cancer Sucks! Great job indeed.