OCALA,FL (352.today.com) – She was only 10 years old when Bonnie Freeman and her family found out she had cancer of the blood and her battle began.

Her parents Howard and Laurel Freeman came to the studios of North Central Florida Media ahead of Wednesday’s Bear-A-Thon to talk up the fundraiser on 93.7 K-Country and Wind-FM – 92.5 Gainesville 95.5 Ocala and to share Bonnie’s wish that other children not have to go through what she did. They talked about her selflessness and desire to start a fund that would help children locally.

Laurel (left) and Howard (right) Freeman in the studios of North Central Florida Media in Ocala to discuss the ongoing need to fund pediatric cancer research. Courtesy: Bill Cummings/352today

Her wish became the nonprofit Stop Children’s Cancer which to date has helped raise $23 million for UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. That’s where Bonnie started receiving treatments and that’s where all the funds raised stay.

Howard Freeman spoke about Bonnie’s courage and how what she started has comforted children facing cancer with the stuffed teddy bears and ducks but more importantly has helped raise funds for pediatric cancer research.

Bonnie Freeman died in 1983 at the age of 12 following a more than two year battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Courtesy: Stop Children’s Cancer

“We need to literally, as Bonnie wrote herself, we need to stop children’s cancer” said Bonnie’s father. “If people want to become part of us, we would love for them to be part of the team, the Stop Children’s Cancer team. We would be thrilled with that.”

You can do that by making a donation online on Wednesday, Feb. 7, during the 25th annual Bear-A-Thon on Wednesday, Feb. 7 or call in your donation to 352-622-5600. Phone lines will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.