September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and The Sarah Grace Foundation for Children With Cancer is ensuring that everyone knows how they can support both the foundation’s mission and these children. Throughout the month, the foundation will be distributing information about childhood cancer and distributing water bottles and childhood cancer awareness backpacks throughout the community.
The gold ribbon is the worldwide symbol of childhood cancer awareness, and the foundation is asking everyone to “Wear Gold for Our Children” and support the cause by wearing a gold ribbon during the month of September.
You can order your own ribbon on the foundation website at www.thesarahgracefoundation.
September is also when everyone goes back to school, and the foundation would like to wish everyone a safe school year, while sharing a reminder: Children with cancer are unable to attend school due to severely compromised immune systems, and many of them will be home-schooled or tutored inpatient.
Throughout the summer, the foundation has been sending crafts and activities to local pediatric cancer centers, and recently provided new backpacks and school supplies to seven pediatric cancer centers as part of their ‘back to school’ program.
Once again, as the weather gets cooler, the volunteers of the foundation will be looking ahead to other programs, including their Halloween Trick or Treat goodie bags, their annual holiday toy drive, and their annual Holiday Extravaganza Raffle.
“This is the 15th year now that we’ve held our holiday raffle,” Weippert said, adding, “It’s a great way to support a child with cancer while also kickstarting your holiday experience.”
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online via the foundation website. Anyone purchasing a ticket will be entered into a month-long raffle with fantastic prizes, including: Restaurant and retail gift cards, gas gift cards, cash prizes and more. Each ticket stays in the drawing for the entire month of November, even if you’ve already won, meaning one ticket gives you 30 chances to win. Tickets go on sale Sept. 15 on the foundation website.
As an all-volunteer charity, the foundation has worked with thousands of children and their families, providing numerous programs to help combat the struggles of this horrific disease and provide comfort and support to these children and their families.
“Every year, over 4,000 children die from cancer,” said Weippert. “Roughly 46 children are diagnosed every day. We are all too familiar with their struggle, and we’re committed to doing all we can to improve their quality of life.”
“This year has been difficult for everyone, but especially so for families who were already struggling,” said Weippert. “Your support means the world to the families we serve and as we look ahead to the holidays and our plans for 2026, we hope to be able to continue Sarah’s mission that has guided us for more than 22 years. While it is a recognition of Sarah’s loss, it is also our ultimate tribute to her memory.”
For more information on The Sarah Grace Foundation, please call (516) 433-9745 or visit the Foundation’s website at www.TheSarahGraceFoundation.
