THON And The Fight Against Cancer

This is not a topic I particularly enjoy talking about, but it's too important a subject not to.  Because while the topic is in reference to Penn State and THON, the real topic is cancer.

Today, is now two day after the STUDENTS at Penn State raised a record 10.6 million dollars.  

Not for a football team. 

Not for a job.

Not for self-serving

But for those less fortunate than themselves, and to help communities and families make it through the horrors of pediatric cancer.  

Or more simply...'For The Kids'

The news trucks were not there.  CNN, FoxNEWS, ABC news, NBC news, CBS all absent.  So perhaps the world doesn't know about this side of Penn State and Penn Staters everywhere.  

Seeing as how the community appears to be under fire for being secretive, alcoholic, football nuts I want to remind people; I want to make it clear, that THON and the act of bringing awareness, kindness and support to a group that needs help is as much a part of Penn State as anything else.

It took me 27 years to be truly shocked by the disease.  But it cuts to your core when you hear aloud that diagnosis.  A great friend and peer of mine, has recently been informed that he had developed cancerous cells in his leg.   It happened to a great guy, one whom I respect and admire for both his work ethic and sense of humility.

It happened to someone that it seemed like it should never happen to.

To do my part, to support in my own way since I have little in the way of money at the moment, I thought I'd write a blog post.  I'd let people know of other stories, and of how they're lives are affected.  Perhaps that will inspire some one who can afford to donate to charity to do so.

The following is an article I wrote for for a friend to put in a newspaper to help raise awareness and funds for her Relay For Life team.

Hopefully, with a tireless effort by all of us, we can find a way to beat ALL types of cancer.

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10 Year Old Makes Difference in Relay For Life Community 

While Relay For Life is a National  event, it is in the smaller communities that the real differences are made.  And within the small communities it is the individual stories that bring people together the most.

              Amri Shepherd is not too different than your average 10 year old girl.  She enjoys cheerleading and the Nickelodeon show iCarly.  She also has another passion right now.  Amri makes bracelets in an effort to help raise money for her Relay For Life team.  Each day after school Amri will take the time to make as many bracelets as she can, typically taking 10-15 minutes for each one with the assistance of her mother, Amanda Shepherd.

              

  “Oh She loves it” says Amanda Shepherd, a sentiment backed up by a slightly giggly Amri.

          

      “She works on them basically whenever she has free time, often right after she gets home from school”

               While she does it in part because as Amri herself says “It’s a good cause”, part of the reason also has to do with fact that the Shepherd family has been touched by cancer themselves.  Her cousin Duncan Mitchelltree was diagnosed with a Wilm’s Tumor roughly 2 years ago.  He has undergone radiation and chemotherapy and is now cancer free.  Amri’s father Tim was diagnosed with a form of kidney cancer, and has had surgery to have the kidney and tumor removed and is doing well.

                Undeterred by her own personal hardships, Amri is upbeat and hopeful that she can make a difference.  Thanks to social media outlets such as Facebook, her Relay For Life team has helped raise over 40,000 dollars, and her bracelets are a hot seller with more than 50 orders already and more pouring in regularly.

The support is not uncommon in Relay For Life circles. 

         “We’re a tightknit group.  If anyone is having trouble we rally around them.” says Amanda Shepherd.  “I now live in Palmer County, but my heart will always be in Phillipsburg, and for the Relay For Life community.”

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If anyone would like to buy a bracelet you can contact Amri through her mother Amanda Shepherd   

Her home number is 610-559-759

The cost is $10.00

They are wire bracelets with glass beads one size fits all. 

Proceeds benefit American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Phillipsburg being held May 19-20, 2012 at the Phillipsburg High School.