Jenny Wilkins: CURE Childhood Cancer

Jenny Wilkins and her husband childhood cancer with having a wonderful The events were held virtually again this Tre’ were first introduced to CURE time,” says Jenny. year, and Jenny says people who aren’t Childhood Cancer in 2003 when Catie’s Gathering has grown from one to attending virtually can always donate and their daughter Catie was diagnosed four separate events in southeast Georgia. bid on the silent auction items. “Last year with Medulloblastoma—an aggressive Last year alone, more than 2,200 people we had three dinners, not the usual four. brain tumor—on her first birthday. Catie attended the dinners, which raised more We are only hosting three this year as well. fearlessly fought her battle with cancer, than $340,000. To date, Catie’s Fund has And also, people are struggling financially but the chemotherapy compromised raised more than $2.2 million. so they are less able to contribute.” her immune system so severely that she And it’s not just the fundraisers, succumbed to a common virus before she Research & Funding Jenny says the pace of research has been reached her 5th birthday. As Special Events Manager, Jenny’s negatively affected as labs and research

Tre’s first cousin Bailey had the same goal is to create events that inform the facilities responded to the pandemic by cancer that Catie had, and although they community of the need for funding shutting down as necessary. were born years apart, they both had the research for childhood cancers and to raise same treatment, including medicine that money for that necessary research. Getting Back on Track was new in the 1940s and 1950s. “Working at a nonprofit means I Jenny says as life gets back to normal,

“We were both astounded and angry— wear lots of hats, but my primary focus she hopes to expand Catie’s Gatherings in something should have changed in the is managing and expanding Catie’s southwest Georgia because it works best in intervening years,” Jenny says. “After Gatherings as a fundraiser for research.” the type of small town communities which she died, Tre’ looked at me and said, ‘we She explains, “Childhood cancer is populate that area. have to do something,’ but it has to be for woefully underfunded, less than 4% of “In a small town most folks know people all kids with childhood cancers, not just the national budget for cancer research personally who have been affected,” those affected by brain says Jenny. “These tumors.” Shortly after Catie’s death in 2007, the Progress is measured in the gift of time for “ dinners work because of communities. Most of us can’t write a $10,000 Wilkins started Catie’s Fund in her memory and started working to raise some of our children and their families “ check, but if 800 people can each contribute $25, together we can give money for research. Jenny went back to $20,000. Silent auction work as an elementary literacy specialist at is spent on childhood cancers. Childhood items are always needed and appreciated Effingham County Schools but continued cancer is the Number One disease killer as well. Call or email me for information, I to grow Catie’s Fund through its signature of children. The only thing more fatal is would love to talk to anyone interested.” event, Catie’s Gathering. accidents. The funding does not match the scope of the problem.” Catie’s Legacy Catie’s Gathering At CURE, the focus is only on the Catie has been gone for 14 years

“Catie’s Gathering started as a simple children and the many different cancers and would have been 19 years old this dinner the first year, but God has really and varieties that affect them. September. Jenny says people shouldn’t blessed it to grow,” says Jenny. “The “Progress is measured in the gift of shy away from talking with families about dinners grew so big I joined the CURE time for some of our children and their the children they have lost. Childhood Cancer staff in 2018 as a Special families,” says Jenny. “The stories are “We are never not reminded of our loss Events Manager to continue that work so hard, because in many cases we are and it is okay to talk about them. For the and expand Catie’s Gathering to other so close and we want kids to live. But surviving family it is a gift to ask about communities.” extra years can feel like baby steps. To be their loved ones.”

For this fun evening, hosts/hostesses involved with research one has to be very In addition to Catie, Jenny and Tre’ purchase a table, invite their friends, and patient—which is easy to say but when it’s have two other children—Izzy, their 14 decorate their themed table. your kid it feels like forever. “ year old daughter, and Chip, their 12 year

“The whole event started out plain Jane old son, who both attend South Effingham and low key and now you walk in the venue Hit by the Pandemic Middle School. and it looks like Pinterest exploded! Our Jenny says the pandemic affected CURE “I’m a teacher and thought I would do hostesses work so hard because they are fundraisers as venues were closed and that for my whole life. Now I am a special invested and believe in the work we do,” people were unable to gather. They did the Events Manager for CURE because Catie says Jenny. best they could, but the numbers were down. changed everything about our world.

During the event, guests experience “We were able to get two ‘in person’ Medical research is not a fast thing, but music, a raffle, a silent auction, and a dinners in at the beginning of the year,” I believe with all my heart there will be moving program about battles kids with says Jenny. “After the shutdown we better treatments for my grandchildren pediatric cancer are fighting every day. held one of our Catie’s Gathering events because everyday people are doing what

“We balance the harsh realities of virtually and one was canceled.” they can to help solve a big problem.” n

Story by Cindy Reid | Photos by Tonya Perry

In the Photos: attendees at a recent CURE event at Moncrief Square, hosted by Dee Moncrief. For more information about CURE and Jenny Wilkins’ work, visit curechildhoodcancer.org

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Homeowners Across Georgia Find Benefits & Savings

There has been a lot of talk about solar energy in Georgia recently. Many homeowners wonder if adding solar panels to their homes is a good investment and will lead to lower energy costs and a contribution to the environment. We talked with Clay Copeland of EMPWR Solar to get some answers.

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912.584.1022 334.403.2081

claycopeland@empwrsolar.com www.empwrsolar.com