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Tackling Childhood Cancer
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Kirk Olivadotti with daughter Kasyn and son Kruz.
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Tackling is a tough job for NFL linebackers. Tackling childhood cancer is even tougher.
But the Washington Redskins linebacker crew was up to the task after being challenged by Washington Redskins inside linebackers coach, Kirk Olivadotti.
Kirk told his players that he would donate $10 for every tackle they made during September - National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - to the charity Curing Kids Cancer.
Kirk's support of Curing Kids Cancer is not surprising considering his experience with childhood cancer. The Olivadotti family's life began to change in 2011. First, it was moving to Georgia where Kirk took a coaching position at the University of Georgia. Within three weeks of the move, the Olivadotti's daughter Kasyn was diagnosed with leukemia.
Support surrounded the Olivadotti family as Kasyn began treatment at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Even though they had left Washington, the entire Washington Redskins organization immediately reached out to the family. During this time, Keely, Kasyn's mother, met Grainne Owen, founder and president of Curing Kids Cancer
a 501(c) devoted to funding cutting edge pediatric cancer therapies.
Immediately, the two began to bond over having a child with leukemia. Grainne founded the charity after losing her son Killian to leukemia in 2003.
Kasyn fortunately beat her battle with cancer and is now a cancer survivor! When September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, rolled around this year Kirk thought of a great way to give back. He told his players that for every tackle they made he would donate money to the Atlanta based charity. Coach Olivadotti's players had 85 tackles in four games, raising $850 for Curing Kids Cancer.
"These men took even more pride in their tackles going for a great cause as well as doing their job and trying to win football games," said Kasyn's mother Keely Olivadotti.
The players that Kirk coaches were fully aware of Kasyn's battle and this was another way they have continued to show support. Curing Kids Cancer was delighted with this donation and thanks the Olivadotti family and the Washington Redskins players for helping to fund childhood cancer therapies.
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Georgia Gives Day
Curing Kids Cancer needs your help on Nov. 17 to raise $20,000!
Join Curing Kids Cancer on Nov. 17, 2016 for Georgia Gives Day.
Thi
s is an initiative that
brings
together the nonprofits in the state of Georgia to fundraise and raise awareness for their causes. This is a 24 hour giving extravaganza and we need your help.
Curing Kids Cancer will receive 100 percent of the profits we raise on Georgia Gives Day! Please
click
and share the GIVE button to help Curing Kids Cancer get a head start.
If you are not able to give, we still need your help. Join us on social media by tagging Curing Kids Cancer and using the #GAgivesday to help us generate funds and bring awareness to our cause.
We also encourage you between now and Nov. 11 to participate in the #Unselfie challenge. Share why you love Curing Kids Cancer and why it is important to give. Be creative!
Here's how it works:
1. Between now and Nov. 11, everyone (that includes donors, staff, board members, social followers and and volunteers) can take a selfie that shows why they're planning to give to your nonprofit.
2. They sh
ould include our hashtags: #GAgivesday
#Unselfie #ForTheKids
3. Then, they post it to their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, including the hashtags in their post.
4. On the week of Nov. 14th, GA Center for Nonprofits will post a gallery of their
top ten finalists on Facebook and count on our followers to vote for their favorite with a Like.
5. The top three nonprofits will receive a donation in their name-- $500 for 1st place, $150 for 2nd and $100 for 3rd.
We look forward to seeing your #Unselfies soon! Don't forget to use the hashtags provide, so GA Center for Nonprofits sees your #Unselfies.
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Curing Kids Cancer: Putting Your Money Where the Research is
Checks were presented to groundbreaking research projects across the United States.
The month of October proved to be a celebratory one for Curing Kids Cancer. On October 4, Grainne and Clay Owen presented Palmetto Health Children's Hospital with $50,000 for the Curing Kids Cancer $1.2 million endowment. This commitment is to
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Grainne and Clay Owen present $50,000 to Palmetto Health Children's Hospital.
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the Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. Representatives from Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, Palmetto Health Foundation and the University of South Carolina (USC) Athletics, partners of Curing Kids Cancer, were present at the announcement.
The Curing Kids Cancer Endowment was established at Palmetto Health Foundation to support clinical trials efforts at the Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. Endowment funds will support the complex process of helping families navigate the clinical trials process, enrolling childhood cancer patients in clinical studies and ensuring patient data is accurately collected.
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Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier receiving $200,000 from Grainne Owen. |
One check presentation was not enough for Curing Kids Cancer, so Grainne Owen went to Boston to present Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier from Dana Farber Cancer Institute with a $200,000 grant on her epigenetic research. While at Dana Farber, Dr. Stegmaier presented Curing Kids Cancer founder and president her research and guided her through a lab tour. The res
ear
ch is further explained by Dr. Stegmaier in "A Doctor's Corner" below. Curing Kids Cancer is pleased to fund research at the top ranked pediatric cancer hospital in the world and looks forward to seeing the results of Dr. Stegmaier's research.
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A Message from Dr. Stegmaier
Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier from Dana Farber Cancer-Institute shares her research on Ewing sarcoma.
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Meet Isaiah Gunn
Previous research on Ependymoma saved a young Florida boy's life.
Six years ago, the Gunn family's two sons prayed for another sibling and when Isaiah was born everyo
ne was amazed.
His family had no idea that Isaiah's journey would contain more surprises, a brain tumor and the ability to remove it.
On Oct. 1
6, 2012, Isaiah was diagnosed with an Ependymoma, a slow growing brain tumor. His medical plan included a 12 hour surgery, 33 radiation treatments, 10 weeks in the hospital and two years of recovery, in and out of the hospital.
Isaiah's surgery was beyond impressive. Doctors worked diligently for 12 hours to remove a tumor at the stem of Isaiah's brain that was wrapped around his nerves. The tumor wa
s completely removed. He has been clear of cancer for 3 1/2 years now.
"Thanks to previous research on his type of cancer, there was a plan and he is alive," said Isaiah's mother Patti.
Today, Isaiah is in first grade. When he grows up he would like to be a
Marine Biologist/Dolphin trainer/Scientist who "builds stuff." His mom, Patti weighed in that he would like to be an engineer. Isaiah loves swimming, playing with legos, and video games.
We look forward to continuing to watch Isaiah thrive and thank the Gunn family for sharing their story. Please watch the video to learn more about Isaiah's journey with childhood cancer.
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CFO4Life Golf Tournament
This Texas based company has raised more than $700,000 for Curing Kids Cancer.
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Dr. Jim Amatruda, Levi McMellian, CEO of CFO4Life and Lauren from Curing Kids Cancer.
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Curing Kids Cancer would like to thank CFO4Life and the
generous
donors that made the CFO4Life golf tournament a success this year. The 2016 golf tournament was a record breaking year with donations of more than $130,000. This brings the total proceeds raised to more than $700,000 in nine years for Curing Kids Cancer.
Click the link to check out the Photos from the tournament held in Muenster, TX.
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Mecum, Dallas
November 2-5
We are excited to see how much we can raise at the Mecum auction coming up in Dallas. If you are interested in learning more about this auction, click here mecum.com.
If you are interested in donating a car or other auction item, please contact Account Manager at Curing Kids Cancer, Mikaela Hopkins at mikaela@curingkidscancer.org
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Georgia Gives Day
November 17
Want to give back without leaving your couch? Here is the perfect opportunity. Join Curing Kids Cancer virtually on Nov. 17 to raise money for childhood cancer research. Use this link to give to Curing Kids Cancer. Also, join GA Gives Day on social media by using #GAGivesDay and tagging Curing Kids Cancer to help us raise more funds!
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The Festival of Trees
November 18-20, 2016
The Palmetto Health Foundation will be hosting the Festival of Trees at the
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, S.C. Curing Kids Cancer will have a horseshoe wreath up for auction. The a
uction preview will be held on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. The Festival of Trees will continue until Sunday, Nov. 20. If you have questions about this event or bidding on the horseshoe wreath, contact Gina Janvrin, gina@curingkidscancer.org.
Click
here to learn more about the Festival of Trees.
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Mecum, Anaheim
November 17-19
We are excited to see how much we can raise at the Mecum auction coming up in Anaheim, CA. If you are interested in learning more about this auction, click here
mecum.com
.
If you are interested in donating a car or other auction item, please contact
Account Manager at Curing Kids Cancer, Mikaela Hopkins at mikaela@curingkidscancer.org
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Mecum, Kansas City
December 1-3
We are excited to see how much we can raise at the Mecum auction coming up in Kansas City. If you are interested in learning more about this auction, click here mecum.com.
If you are interested in donating a car or other auction item, please contact Account Manager at Curing Kids Cancer, Mikaela Hopkins at mikaela@curingkidscancer.org
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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