Family That Shines - The Thull Family
"Jared was 11 years old when he got sick. June 18, 2018, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) subtype b high risk. He is in long term maintenance and is expected to be off treatment Sept. 30, 2021. Jared is a very social creature and loves doing things with his family and friends. He loves to swim and hike...Jared lives with his mom, stepdad, sister and stepbrother. He also shares the house with a very plump orange kitty named Artemis, a black kinda mean kitty named Aidos, and a rambunctious yellow lab puppy, Radar. "
"Candlelighters have been a Godsend to us. It is really hard to manage everyday life or even care about it when you are in the eye of the storm. I was so busy and lost. All of the sudden the electric bill was 2 months behind and Candlelighters paid it in full. I'm not sure what we would have done.
Through this, the connections that we have made through Candlelighters have been the highlight of this cancer journey. We have a new family and we are so happy to be a part of it. We are all in this together. It takes a village and Candlelighters is our village."
Update: Fundraising During COVID-19
The first half of 2020 has been challenging, yet rewarding for our organization. As the COVID-19 pandemic did with other non-profits and businesses, the cancellation of large events forced us to shift gears in fundraising efforts for all of 2020.  The great news is that our first canceled e vent, Cancer Warrior Breakfast, was turned into a peer-to-peer online fundraiser that ran through March and April. We are thrilled to announce that our online campaign raised $70,251! A huge thanks to generous matches from The Schuler Family Foundation and Jeanne Beacham. We could not have had such great success without the dedication of our sponsors: MediaWorks , First Republic Bank, Genentech , I nRoads Credit Union , Callahan Law Office and Pacific West Bank.
We also want to thank the  Blue Butterfly Campaign   (read more on our Donor Spotlight ) and  Cancer Ski Out , two third party fundraisers that each donated $10,000 to Candlelighters this year. Because of the generous support of all of our supporters, our families have been able to continue receiving the support, care and hope they need as they fight their battle with childhood cancer. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Curious how donations are allocated? Read more in our Annual Report.
Current Fundraising Events
Ride For A Child 2020
Ride For A Child is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and with the cancellation of Cycle Oregon, we may have hit a bump in the road, but we're still on track for another amazing year of cycling and fundraising, one where EVERYONE is invited to join!   
With our pledge-based website, YOU set your own path and pace. Ride outdoors or indoors, at whatever pace and distance works for you. What a fun way to get active outside together as a family, and invite others to join or support you via social media! No matter how many miles you ride, you're an important part of the  Ride For A Child  team. It's not too late to join us by riding or supporting the riders!
Golf to Give 2020
We're grateful and excited for our largest third party event, The Golf to Give Challenge, which will be held on August 21st at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora.    Interested in sponsoring this year? email GolftoGiveChallenge@gmail.com . 
Can't make it to Golf to Give, but still want to support Candlelighters? 
There is a new contest this year and EVERYONE (18 years+) can participate for as little as $10! Up to 1000 numbered golf balls will be dropped LIVE from a helicopter on the day of the tournament. The ball that lands in the hole, or closest ball to the hole will win 50% of the collected funds, up to $2000. You do not need to play in the tournament or be present to win.
Programs Updates
As an organization that's all about building community, it's been challenging to pivot from family activities to no-contact. And in the face of cancer, small gestures sometimes feel so, well...small. But what we hear repeatedly from families who have a newly diagnosed child is that they often feel forgotten and alone. It may seem like an insignificant gesture, but reaching out in any way is the right thing to do.
Hope Jars
Recently, staff delivered surprise porch gifts for over 20 recently diagnosed kids. From Camas to Forest Grove, Mulino to McMinnville...these brought some mid-quarantine cheer to our families! Thanks to Joule Crafted Nutrition and Team NEGU: Never Ever Give Up  for providing gift cards and goodies!
Hospital Pantry at Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Covid-19 has made strict hospital regulations and rules even stricter. Although we can't enter the hospital to host our bi-monthly dinners at Doernbecher, we're providing food for familes in the Candlelighters pantry at Doernbecher. Our pantry in the family kitchen in the inpatient oncology provides ready to cook meals and snacks, as well as a break from hospital food. If you’d like to support our families in the hospital, by donating to the food pantry, we are accepting Costco gift card donations. Please email Lisa@candlelightersoregon.org for more information.
Family Camp Reimagined
Though nothing can replace the experience of our in person family camp, we're excited to announce Camp Outside the Box!, a camp-themed adventure open to families state wide and in SW Washington. Learn More!
The Luminaries
In Mid-March, faced with the new routine of staying home, our teen group, The Luminaries , knew they didn’t want to lose touch. One of the Luminaries leaders, Garrett Waggoner , suggested the Luminaries stay in touch through an app called Discord.
Now meeting bi-weekly on Zoom, and chatting regularly on Discord, the teens are working on video projects with a goal of providing support to those also affected by cancer, and growing their online community. If you missed their first video project, click here , or check out their news interview by KOIN and KPTV . We're so proud of this group!
Welcome Director of Development, Sarah Breece!
In February, we welcomed our first Director of Development, Sarah Breece. Sarah moved to Portland with her husband Brett and two dogs, Zeva and Ackley, from Snoqualmie, Washington. They moved for their jobs, as well as to also be closer to family, as they kick off their own adoption journey in the coming months.
As a childhood cancer survivor herself, Sarah is passionate about Candlelighters' mission. She brings over 10 years of non-profit leadership development and sales experience. Although COVID19 has put a halt to in-person events and meetings, Sarah is looking forward to meeting our amazing community as soon as she can!  Connect with Sarah.
A Message from the Executive Director
Dear families and supporters,

As an organization that values and supports all communities of color, race, genders, cultures, religions and abilities, we believe diversity is a strength. The first step to understanding how Candlelighters can better serve our families is to understand what equity means to the all the communities we serve. 
We aspire to have all communities feel understood whether it be through our messages, our brochures and flyers and in our activities. Candlelighters goal is to ensure that all communities have an opportunity to lead through board service, committees, volunteerism, activities and our workplace. This will be an ongoing dialogue as we strive to create a culture and community of inclusion. Please join us in our efforts. We can’t do this work without hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Candlelighters For Children With Cancer publishes Candlelighters Connections four times a year to provide news and other information to our childhood cancer community in Oregon and SW Washington.
Our Mission: To provide a community of healing, hope, and light throughout the life-long journey of childhood cancer. We advocate, we educate, we build partnerships, and we foster solidarity for all families experiencing cancer.