GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – A cancer diagnosis is scary. Now imagine being 10 years old and learning that you have acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
At 10, you can barely spell it, let alone understand it.
At 10, life is supposed to be carefree. Your biggest concern should be whether to draw a picture, play a game or ride your bike.
Instead, as a fifth grader you’re learning about the cruelties of chemotherapy.
In 1981, that was the reality for Bonnie Freeman, a precocious 10-year-old from Gainesville.
“Back in 1981, we did not have the type of treatments and interventions and chemotherapies that we have today. So, the success rate for curing that type of cancer back then was in the low 30s,” said Christy Gibbons, Executive Director for Stop Children’s Cancer.
With odds like that, no one would have blamed Bonnie for being selfish. But she wasn’t. Instead of wallowing in self-pity as she began receiving treatment at the University of Florida Shands Children’s Hospital, Bonnie decided to help others.
“Probably two weeks or so after her diagnosis she wanted to start doing something for the other families and the children that were in treatment with her. Even more so, she had the vison to impact the future of cancer treatment for children and families,” said Gibbons. “So, she set out to start Stop Children’s Cancer.”
Bonnie set a bold goal of raising a million dollars. She, her family and friends started doing whatever they could to raise money – holding bake sales, selling plants and organizing other fundraisers.
“I don’t want other kids and their families to go through all the same things which we had to,” wrote Bonnie in a letter on July 3, 1983.
Bonnie didn’t live to see her dream fulfilled. She died a week later at the age of 12.
“We’ve raised and helped UF with our donations achieve $23 million towards research at UF Health Shands,” said Gibbons. “She (Bonnie) would be blown away to know that this community feels her, her spirit and who she represents and what she was fighting for is very much alive in this community.”
Gibbons never met Bonnie but feels her presence daily.
“She’s very much part of what we do here,” said Gibbons. “I feel like I’m fighting for every child to come that we have better cures for treatment for cancer that I fulfill what Bonnie wanted to have happen.”
You can help fulfill Bonnie’s dying wish by donating to the 25th annual Bear-A-Thon this week hosted by 93.7 K-Country, Wind-FM – 92.5 Gainesville 95.5 Ocala, and 352today, which operate under the umbrella of North Central Florida Media. A $40 donation provides a bear or chemo duck for children going through cancer treatment at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. It also helps fund the ongoing research.
As part of the fundraiser, the stations will be auctioning a variety of concert experiences including tickets to the Rolling Stones concert in Orlando on June 3. Check the auction site to see what you want to bid on when it opens on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 6 a.m.
