Joy Cruse, mother of Connor Cruse of Frisco, is on a mission. She wants to bring joy to others and build awareness of September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Ms. Cruse and other TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation volunteers hit the streets of downtown Dallas for Operation Sweet Hugs Monday, September 14 to give hugs, cupcakes, and a smile to people they met along the way.
“Every year thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer,” said Cruse, founder of TeamConnor. “Sadly, there has only been one drug in the last 21 years developed to fight childhood cancer. We need more awareness regarding the devastating impact that cancer has on children. The drugs used to treat children were developed for adults. With more awareness and funds, we can encourage researchers to find new treatments specifically for children battling cancer.”
Fluellen Cupcakes donated cupcakes and gift cards for the TeamConnor team to give to strangers on the street. Several people passed on the cupcake, but gladly accepted a hug. It gave the team an opportunity to talk to people about the need for more childhood cancer research.
Connor was four-years-old when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer. He bravely fought for four years, but lost his battle in 2009. The irony is that Connor beat neuroblastoma, but developed a secondary sheath tumor from the radiation he was given to fight the neuroblastoma. Connor would have celebrated his 15th birthday in October. Instead, he left a legacy that has resulted in more than $1.7 million awarded to research hospitals across the country to fight for children with cancer.
TeamConnor hosts several events throughout the year to raise funds for childhood cancer research, including the Color Me Green 5K October 3 in Frisco Square; Northwestern Mutual 5th Annual Clay Shoot November 5; and the III Forks Golf Classic & Auction Dinner May 3-4, 2016. In addition, TeamConnor’s Coins for Kids with Cancer® program raises funds in schools, churches, offices and organizations.
Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes. In the United States, cancer kills more children every year than AIDS, asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and congenital anomalies combined. Yet, the National Cancer Institute allocates less than four percent of its funds to pediatric cancer research. TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation is dedicated to serving families, building awareness, and raising funds for research to help cure childhood cancer.
For more information on how to join the fight against childhood cancer, go to teamconnor.org or Facebook.com/TeamConnor.