Penny-wars raise money for Coins for Campers

Coins for Campers is a program schools participate in by raising funds in their own way for Children’s Cancer Connection. This year, Walnut School was the first school to hold a drive and donated $1147.75 after a week-long penny war between all classes.

Nicole Cunningham, pre-school para at Walnut, organized the event to celebrate Alec Mertz, a former student and Children’s Cancer Connection program participant, whose life was taken by cancer five years ago when he was in 4th grade.

Cunningham, who is a friend of the Mertz family, wanted to do something to honor Alec’s memory. “My initial idea was to have a jeans day for the teachers,” said Cunningham. “After looking around online I thought a penny war seemed like a great idea that would get the kids involved during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.”

Cunningham was unsure of where to donate the money after it was raised, so she turned to Michelle Mertz, Alec’s mother. “She suggested donating to Children’s Cancer Connection or Make A Wish Foundation,” said Cunningham. After looking at our website and our mission, Cunningham decided on Children’s Cancer Connection.

Cunningham motivated the students to participate by creating a flyer with Alec’s picture and the Children’s Cancer Connection mission. The results she saw were surprising.

Walnut has students from Pre-K to grade 12, and the $1,147.75 total was raised by only 179 students. Alec’s younger brother, Michael, a freshman at Walnut, and his class raised the most money in the penny war. “A few classes stepped up to the plate and brought in a lot more that we expected, which helped us reach such a high total,” said Cunningham.

"Pepper in Some Hope" with Chili's and St. Jude!

Chili’s entered a commitment with St. Jude to donate $50 million dollars over a ten year period. Since 2006 when the commitment began, Chili’s Create-A-Pepper campaign has raised $30 million dollars for St. Jude.

Visit their website to create your own custom pepper or head to Chili’s on The Big Day, Sept. 27, when 100% of the profits from every meal will go to St. Jude.

Funds raised in the initial year of the Create-A-Pepper campaign helped to open the Chili’s Care Center. It holds the radiological sciences department, bone marrow transplant unit and multiple research labs. Click here to read more.

"All of my sales go to my friend with cancer"

Garage sales are common among many neighborhoods during the summer months, but something rare is a garage sale, put together by children to raise money for a friend with childhood cancer.

Avery Merkley, a third grader, organized a two day garage sale in August to raise money for her friend, Will Krueger, a child who is affected by cancer and who is also one of Children’s Cancer Connection’s program participants. Avery did everything to prepare for the sale from making signs, pricing items and setting up the inventory.

One bright red sign read, “All of my sales go to my friend with cancer.” At the end of the sale, Avery gave the money to Will, who decided to donate it to Children’s Cancer Connection.

How Sweet It Is...

Pilled high with rich frosting and covered with bright sprinkles can make it hard to resist a cupcake—especially when they are being sold for CancerCare for Kids program.

Because September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, CancerCare for Kids created the national, annual event Cupcakes for a Cause to benefit their service which provides free support services to children and their families affected by childhood cancer.

Anyone can support this program—even if you don’t want to eat or bake. The Cupcakes for a Cause website offers the opportunity to create an e-cupcake and send it to your friends and family! The service is free but the official sponsor, got2b, is donating $1 for every e-cupcake sold, up to $10,000. To date, only 1,080 have been sent so jump over to their website to help them reach their goal.

For those interested in some finger-licking fun, across the nation, businesses, families and friends get together to bake cupcakes and donate the proceeds to Cupcakes for a Cause. Get a team together and start baking!

Grocery stores and bakeries are celebrating Cupcakes for a Cause Week, September 20-26 by selling specially decorated cupcakes and donating back a portion of the proceeds.

What a “sweet way to help children and families affected cancer!”

iCANcer App Combats Cancer with Pocket-Sized Organization

Apple recently released the first app for iPhone and iPod touch that manages the cancer journey. iCANcer is meant to benefit cancer patients, survivors and caregivers alike. The app helps manage your medical information by allowing you to calculate the ANC, graph labs, log treatment, save doctor appointment information, log side effects and late effects.

The app has many other features to put your mind at ease:

-Password protected

-Exports medical information

-Organizes doctor appointments

-Stores questions you have for specialists

-Manages medical history

-E-mail your information to a new doctor

For the month of September, $1 from each app download goes to American Childhood Cancer Association. Visit the Apple download site to purchase yours today!

Survivorship and the After Effects of Being a Childhood Cancer Survivor

Click to Play

Chris English, a childhood cancer survivor, shares his story about his battle with childhood cancer and shares information about the after effects of cancer and his adult life as a survivor.

Amy Setser speaks about Bumping for Blake in Quad City Times

Why donate to Children's Cancer Connection? Each donor has their own personal reasons. Amy Setser, mother and organizer of Bumping for Blake's Cancer Camp, tells her story to the Quad City Times.

From the article:

"For a long time, I felt like I was taking from these organizations, and we just didn't have the energy to give back," Ms. Setser said. "Now that Blake is approaching the end of his treatment, I wanted to find an organization I could really put my heart behind."
"I picked the Children's Cancer Connection because it promotes the camp that Blake will go to for years to come. This organization promotes healing for the entire family and focuses on the emotions the entire family goes through, not just the child going through treatment."

Holiday Cards are Here!

It’s official! The designs have been picked for our 2010 Holiday Cards and we are ready to sell them to you!

This year, we are excited to be holding our very first unveiling event where you can come see the cards for the first time and meet the child artists! The open house will be held during Girls’ Night in the Village(an event hosted by John Stoddard Cancer Center) from 5-7p.m on September 30 at Simply for Giggles in the East Village. Stop by and have some hot apple cider and cookies while you look.

Cards will be available in retail packs of 24 at the Brass Armadillo, Heart of Iowa Marketplace, Simply for Giggles and The Lagniappe. A mail order form will be available beginning September 15 on our website.

For corporate or imprinted orders, contact Cindy at 515.243.6239 x1107 or by e-mail at Cindy@ChildrensCancerConnection.com

Changes Made to Keep Children's Cancer Connection Strong

As you are well aware, we are facing one of the most difficult economic times in our nation’s history.  Like many companies and organizations, Children's Cancer Connection has also been affected.  In order to ensure that we weather this economic storm and have the ability to maintain our programs for those facing childhood cancer our Board of Directors has chosen to act proactively and has made the hard decision to cut a number of budget items to ensure the strength of this organization.

We have made significant cuts to every expense line item including supplies, equipment, printing and postage and all other areas that we could do without, or delay, until things turn around.  The most noticeable impact of these cuts however, includes a reduction in our staff. 

This week we had to say farewell to our Receptionist – Cheryl Angier.  Cheryl has been the morning voice of the organization for nearly three years. 

We also had to say goodbye to our Director of Programs and Volunteer Services, Brecka Putnam.  Brecka joined us in February of 2008 and has been instrumental in helping us grow our programs.  Brecka brought the first “Survivors of Childhood Cancer” program to Iowa and has been a huge advocate of our family based programs and services.

Brecka asked that we share a note from her –

"Dear friends,

It has been a joy to work with and get to know you over the past few years.  I have learned so much from you, and am amazed by the strength of families touched by childhood cancer and the compassion of the volunteers that serve them.  It is with sadness that I inform you that my position at Children’s Cancer Connection has been eliminated due to financial reasons.  I will miss those of you that I have worked with greatly, but I take comfort in knowing that this decision was necessary to preserve the organization and allow Children’s Cancer Connection to continue providing excellent services for families.  Should you wish to contact me in the future, please don’t hesitate: brecka.putnam@gmail.com. "

We are saddened that we have had to make these deep cuts and that our Children's Cancer Connection family has been affected.  We are dividing responsibilities to ensure that we maintain our current level of programs and services.  We feel very fortunate that we have managed to not have to downsize as long as we have.  Many other organizations were forced to do this early in the economic down turn, and others have had to close their doors. 

Both our Board of Directors and I are committed to do what it takes to ensure that we will be here to meet the needs of every family that needs our services and programs. 

I am available to answer questions and listen to concerns.  Should you want to contact me, I am available by email at Mark@childrenscancerconnection.com or by phone at 515-243-6239 extension 1101. 

Relive the fun times from Siblings Camp 2010!

What a great time everyone had at Siblings Camp 2010! Check out the photos of this years' campers!

Bumping for Blake's Cancer Camp

Upon hearing that her son would be finished with treatment in September, Amy Setser wanted to give back to one of the many organizations that helped them during the 3 ½ year journey. “I wanted it to be an organization that I could really stand behind and get excited about helping,” said Setser, Blake’s mom. After Blake attended the oncology camp this year, Setser knew that Children’s Cancer Connection was the organization that she wanted to support.


Bumping for Blake’s Cancer Camp Volleyball Tournament will be held at Hawkeye Tap in Davenport on Saturday, September 11 starting at 9 a.m. In addition to the double elimination volleyball games that will be held throughout the day, the event will host a water balloon toss, serving challenge, raffle and 50/50 drawings. Of course, there will be fun for the kids as well! The Kids Korner will have face painting, temporary tattoos a water balloon toss and games with prizes.
Team registration is just $120 and you can email bumpingforblake@yahoo.com to register or to obtain more information.