Kids with Cancer

At the age of 14, Stephen was diagnosed with Ewing 's Sarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. Stephen fought his disease with great courage and was an inspiration to many people. Stephen's wish was to help children, who are similarly afflicted with cancer, in ways that others helped him.

Each year over 12,000 children are diagnosed with cancer and more than 2000 die every year. It is the 2 nd leading cause of death in children behind accidents. At Cook Children's Hospital, more than 100 children every year are treated for cancer. Most children are admitted to the hospital 5 - 10 times a year, often for 1 -2 weeks at a time. Parents are faced with trying to maintain normalcy in their child's life, and often times have to give up or alter employment in order to care for their child. As a result, the children and their families face many hardships.

A gift certificate or shopping spree can go a long way to brighten a child's day and ease their stay in the hospital. Providing assistance with medical bills can ease a family's burden and help focus their attention on caring for their child.

The Foundation has helped numerous children and their families in the past two years in a variety of the ways mentioned above.  In addition, the Foundation sponsored a day at NRH2O Water Park, for children with cancer and their families to enjoy a day of fun.  Over 200 children and their families enjoyed swimming and splashing at the park, which was reserved just for them.