Hot Chocolate Stands Up Against Lung Cancer
For the past two years, 10-year-old Amy Bowles of Elmhurst, IL has run a hot chocolate stand for charity. When Amy was just one year old, her father Tom was undergoing surgery to remove his left lung, which was infected with lung cancer. When she was about three, he was having surgery on his brain, and radiation to his spine, for metastasized tumors. Another 5 years later, Tom’s hip was bothering him, and scans showed a new tumor in his pelvis, as well as some in the pleura lining where his lung had been removed.
While her dad was undergoing treatments, one hot summer day Amy decided to run a lemonade stand, and made about ten dollars. As she sat in the heat, she thought it would be fun when weather was colder to have a hot chocolate stand instead. That’s when she got the idea of selling hot chocolate in late October to help raise money to fight against lung cancer! When fall came, Amy ran her first hot chocolate stand with the help of cousins and friends, in town Elmhurst, and raised about 350 dollars.
Amy gave all the money to Lungevity, through the Naperville Lung Cancer Walk and Rally (then in Lisle). She was recognized for her outstanding achievement at the rally, and was very proud to be able to help out her father. Because of organizations like Lungevity, her dad has been receiving innovative treatments for his lung cancer, and is still alive today. He has beaten the odds, and will continue to do so, as long as people keep donating to Lungevity, and help spread the word about lung cancer research.
The second annual hot chocolate stand raised even more money- over 600 dollars! Amy plans to continue to sell hot chocolate (with marshmallows!) in the fall just before the Naperville Lung Cancer Walk and Rally. Stay tuned for more information about the date and time of her third annual hot chocolate stand this fall. Amy, her cousins, and friends will be working hard to raise money for Lungevity- how about you?
|
