GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – The 25th annual Bear-A-Thon was a huge success raising a record one-day amount of nearly $126,000 and the number is still growing as donations continue to come in. The money funds pediatric cancer research at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital.
The Stop Children’s Cancer office in Gainesville became command central for the 13-hour donation drive on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
The phones barely stopped buzzing thanks to the generosity of people across North Central Florida. Behind the scenes, volunteers answered those calls and processed the pledges of support.
Emily Florez, a student at the University of Florida, was one of them. She said answering the phones for Bear-A-Thon gave her a sense of hope.
“It’s a refreshing experience. I feel like this is one of these things that you think people are not doing and that people are not taking their time to do. It’s very reassuring and refreshing about humanity and that kindness is still existing in people,” said Florez.
She added that a lot of the callers were people who donate to Bear-A-Thon every year. Florez says their heart compelled many of them to give, and others did so in honor of their grandchildren.
Rhyan Bernal-Mora, an intern for Stop Children’s Cancer, wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself. He felt interning with an organization that helps some of the most vulnerable in our society fulfills his calling.
“I’m super into just helping people in general and kids definitely deserve more than what they’re going through right now,” said Bernal-Mora.
The volunteer coordinator for the organization, Isabel Alvarez, agrees.
“I just think it’s such a nice thing to do because I’ve been lucky enough to not have cancer,” stated Alvarez. “I think it’s like really nice to be able to give a child this object (stuffed bears and ducks) of comfort and their siblings. I hope that all the kids get that because it’s scary. I can’t even imagine.”
Donations of $40 fund a stuffed teddy bear or duck to comfort children when they’re going through their cancer treatments. The stuffed ducks have a port and tube and serve the additional purpose of teaching children about the ports that will be in their bodies and the chemotherapy treatment they will receive.
Akshara Joshi, a volunteer for Bear-A-Thon, thinks the stuffed animals are a great idea.
“I think it’s one way to give to the child with something cute and make them happy and then it also helps the overall cause. I think it is also a way to get people more involved if there’s more of an incentive, giving the kid a cute bear or a duck versus just donating your money,” said Joshi.
Christy Gibbons is the Executive Director of Stop Children’s Cancer. She’s passionate when she explains why your donations mean everything to them.
“It’s important that the community rallies around it because only 4% of federal funding for cancer goes to support research for childhood cancer. So, we have to depend on our community to give the money to us and help support the cause otherwise we can’t find cures for cancer, and we can’t do the work that we’re doing,” stated Gibbons.
She says it is vital to the future for finding cures for childhood cancer and gives them hope for developing better treatments.
“Your dollars matter. Anything you can give matters and it helps. It makes a difference. Don’t feel like what’s $5 going to do or what’s a little $40 going to do. “It’s all going to add up to $1.6 million over 25 years to stop children’s cancer,” said Gibbons. “It all matters. Volunteering matters. Helping matters. Spreading the word matters. Sharing Facebook posts. Sharing stories. Telling others. It all matters in the life of a child with cancer.”
If you didn’t get to donate during Bear-A-Thon, donations are accepted year-round. Donate before April 6 and you’ll still be entered into a drawing to win a new car from Honda of Gainesville.
