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Charity
GIVING HOPE: CHILDREN’S CANCER NETWORK By Molly Cerreta Smith been formed to focus on the needs of relapses. However, after nine years of tions and experiences throughout cancer families and their children with cancer.
The Children’s Cancer Network The Luttells’ daughter Jenny was instru(CCN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit mental in the creation of the fashion organization, is dedicated to show that features children dealing providing assistance to Arizona families with cancer as well as their siblings. It battling childhood cancer. The orga- was designed to be a fun and empowernization was established in 2004, but ing event that helped to raise money the impetus for its foundation began to contribute to the emergency fund in 1993, when Steve and Patti Lut- for families undergoing bone marrow trell’s then five-year-old son Jeff was transplant. In addition to the Fashion diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic show, The Children’s Cancer Network Leukemia (ALL). has an auction and luncheon which doThe family was devastated and Marrow Emergency Funds at Phoenix shocked. Jeff received treatment — Children’s Hospital and University including multiple rounds of chemo- Medical Center. The Network also hosts therapy and radiation and finally a bone a variety of events and experiences for marrow transplant in order to treat the children/teens battling childhood caninitial cancer and its four subsequent cer, along with their families at no cost. being cancer free, Jeff was diagnosed One of their most exciting upcoming with a secondary cancer, squamous fundraising events is their Run to Fight cell cancer of the tongue. So, at the age Children’s Cancer 5k/10k, which will of 21, Jeff had numerous additional be held April 5. Register online for the surgeries and two types of radiation event at RunToFightCancer.com. Run to rid his body again of cancer. Four to Fight Children’s Cancer is the largyears later, at the age of 25, this cancer est race in Arizona dedicated solely to re-occurred. Today, Jeff is doing well pediatric cancer. Now in its tenth year, and has graduated with a graphic design the race unites the community in builddegree. However, his experience led the ing awareness of childhood cancer and Luttrells to want to help other families raising much-needed funds for research, through this time. treatments, patient education and a host According to the Network, the emo- the disease. nates raised funds to the Pediatric Bone of support services for families battling treatment and after may be complex To date, CCN has awarded more than and life changing. Often these emotions $30,000 in scholarships each year, are difficult to comprehend for those distributed more than $75,000 in emerwho have not been there. Many fami- gency gas and food cards annually, and lies dealing with childhood cancer are served more than 750 families yearly faced with a new uncertainty regarding through its family-centered programing. their futures. There likely are questions For more on the organization, how you and needs that never would have been can volunteer time, participate in events contemplated prior to their child’s diag- or donate funds, visit ChildrensCancernosis. Children’s Cancer Network has Network.org
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