VERONICA PENOYER
Special to The Leader
“When I first heard he had cancer,” Jayma — mother of 4-year-old Jacob — remembers, “I just hoped he’d have a future.”
Fredonia’s student-run St. Jude Children’s Research organization raised a generous $500 on Friday, March 6, at its Rock Out for Cancer event. All the earnings go towards the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in hopes of creating a more wholesome life for children with cancer.
As a way of giving back to people who donate their money and time, the St. Jude website sends weekly updates of patients through email. Also on its website are patients of the month, as well as stories of children and facts about how donations have helped to fund research.
This month, a 4-year-old boy shared his patient story. He was just a toddler full of laughter when what started as back pain turned into a scary diagnosis. He was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma cancer, a disease in which cancer cells form in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest or spinal cord. Neuroblastoma is the third most common childhood cancer after leukemia and cancer of the central nervous system.
Fredonia for St. Jude has been a group on campus for over eight years. It started with the goal to raise money to support children in need, with the hopes of making a difference in their lives despite the setback of having cancer.
“I’ve seen people of all ages personally affected by cancer — whether they’ve been diagnosed or a loved one has — and this group is just one way of many to support them,” said junior Alison Malcom, president of Fredonia for St. Jude. “It’s nice to step back and realize how small your personal problems are when you compare them to someone else’s, and if you can take the time to help them, why wouldn’t you?”
Many people sympathize with cancer patients, and when it’s a child, people are usually even more willing to lend a hand. This particular organization is even more critical, because St. Jude is mainly run on donations.
Each fundraiser hosted by the group works to meet the needs of its audience. Fredonia for St. Jude has created events such as Up Till Dawn and Rock Out for Cancer. Up Till Dawn is a campus wide event. Every college has its own version, making it unique to each campus; however, the goal of raising awareness and money. Fredonia’s version uses the slogan “Stay Up for Good.” The idea is to stay awake during the hours of midnight to six in the morning.
Rock Out for Cancer is a live concert show with local bands. It uses live music, raffles and prizes to draw students in to raise awareness and donate money. This is one of the more popular events because of the live music, which draws fans.
While the event’s musical offerings and prizes attract participants, the overall cause to raise money remains the event’s focus. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a place where children can be treated with no cost to the parents. Every donation allows for parents to put all their worry towards their children instead of worrying about the inflating medical bills.
Members of Fredonia for St. Jude donate their time to each of the group’s events with the goal of raising money and awareness, but they also walk away with the added satisfaction of a job well done.
“I joined St. Jude freshman year because my friends were in it, and when you’re a freshman, you just really want to make friends,” Malcolm remembers. “I didn’t know much about St. Jude Children’s Hospital, but once I started going to the meetings, I realized it was much bigger than a social scene, that these people are actually making a difference in people’s lives. And after I learned about it and the positive impact it has on so many lives, I am now determined to raise as much money as we can.
“After watching videos and reading about the children and their survival stories, I can’t imagine what they are going though. But through Fredonia for St. Jude, I can make a difference in their lives,” Malcom added.
Recently, Fredonia for St. Jude has taken steps to expand its use of social media. Through the use of Facebook and Twitter, the group is now able to promote upcoming events and, more importantly, to spread information on cancer and how to get involved in the fight by donating.