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Follow Friday: Kicking off September

Ok, I know it's not Friday. I missed my deadline.  It's a long weekend. You have plenty of time to relax and read.


Besides, life has been a little busy for me here.  I wrote another piece for Insert Eyeroll.  Plus, CJSTUF has been preparing for our Art Auction on September 30th.  Have you bought your ticket yet? It's shaping up to be an amazing event with art of all types.  


Oh, yeah, and I do have a regular full-time job that keeps me kind of busy most days.


And did I mention that I'm working on my book? Editing continues.  I think I'm kind of busy.  


But I digress.


So it's September. For those of you who may be unaware, that means it is also Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month.  Did you know that every school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer?  While this is extremely unfortunate, there are some great organizations out there doing wonderful things in an effort to fight pediatric cancer.


Cookies For Kids Cancer is dedicated exclusively to pediatric cancer research.  They raise their funds in many ways but one of the biggest things they do is BAKE SALES!  (Who doesn't love a bake sale?)  There will be a bunch of Richmond area bake sales for this organization next weekend (September 9-11).  Check out the organization's calendar to find a bake sale in your area.  PS If you don't live in Richmond, there are bake sales going on all over the country. Check out the calendar. Do it! Baked goods are at stake here!


If cookies aren't your style and you want to spice it up a bit, check out Chilis during the month of September.  You can donate money at any local Chilis (or online) when you create a custom chili pepper. All proceeds go to St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital.  Plus, September 26th is a big day when all net profits from all Chilis restaurants will go to St. Judes. Mark your calendar and make it a date for chips and queso.  


Finally, some great local organizations do wonderful things for pediatric cancer research.  I've talked about them before but I'll mention them again here.  



ASK: The organization that is the backbone of the hematology/oncology clinic at VCU Medical Center. This organization does so much for families of kids with cancer and related diseases, including funding for Child Life, Chaplaincy, Counseling, Social Work, and other support services.  This month, in addition to their Kourageous Kids campaign, ASK will be displaying 1000 hats at the James Center on September 15th, representing the children in the Richmond area who will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year.  

ReeseStrong: Reese was diagnosed with medulloblastoma a week or two before Charlotte. Our families have shared many similar and parallel experiences. They are another great example of making good out of a crappy situation.  There is still time to register for the ReeseStrong 5K and Gold Ribbon Kids Run on Saturday, September 17th in Mechanicsville.

Connors Heroes: Connor is another survivor and Lisa and Steve Goodwin do their best to help families navigate the cancer nightmare with information, moral support, and care packages. They also fund research in an effort towards a cure.  The Diggity Fest is a fun family event going on September 18th.  Just another great way to help organizations helping those in need.  

So there's some information about Pediatric Cancer.  Just remember: we don't celebrate this month but we do recognize it, acknowledge it, and seek to bring awareness.  Kids get cancer too.  
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