The gold ribbon is the symbol for childhood cancer awareness. During September, you may see people wearing gold, sharing stories, or participating in events to honor children currently in treatment, celebrate survivors, remember those who have lost their lives, and support the families walking alongside them.

A childhood cancer diagnosis changes life for the entire family. Along with doctor appointments and treatments, families may find themselves juggling missed work, school absences, travel expenses, and the emotional stress that comes with caring for a seriously ill child. Having support during this time can make a meaningful difference.

Child Cancer Fund Supports Jacksonville Families

One organization helping families close to home is Child Cancer Fund, a Jacksonville nonprofit that has supported children with cancer and their families for more than 30 years.

Child Cancer Fund was founded in 1994 by Paul Davis Restoration’s Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Laura Ferrante, whose child was undergoing treatment for leukemia. She joined with other local parents to help preserve a Child Life Specialist position at Nemours Children’s Health. Since then, the organization has grown and expanded the ways it helps local families.

Today, Child Cancer Fund works with Nemours Children’s Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital to support eligible families from Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia whose children are receiving cancer treatment in Jacksonville.

And that support goes well beyond the hospital room.

Child Cancer Fund provides short-term financial assistance to help families with everyday expenses, including food and gas. It also supports services such as child life, music therapy, pediatric oncology psychology, animal-assisted therapy, tutoring and educational assistance.

The organization also gives parents and caregivers opportunities to connect with other families who understand what they are going through. An annual family retreat at Camp Boggy Creek gives families another chance to spend time together in a safe and supportive environment.

Over the past 32 years, Child Cancer Fund has raised more than $10 million to support communities across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Its annual fundraisers include a golf tournament, gala and Care-a-thon. Laura’s colleagues at Paul Davis Restoration support many of these events, including answering phones during the 24-hour Care-a-thon. This year’s event raised $380,000 for childhood cancer research, bringing the 12-year total to more than $3 million.

“I think most families going through a challenge like this want to be able to help in a concrete way. That’s what drove me,” said Laura. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and that the Child Cancer Fund is still going strong after all these years.  I’m grateful for and overwhelmed by the support of our community. This has been my passion for 30 years, and I will continue to help families successfully navigate something as serious as childhood cancer.”

A Little Support Can Go a Long Way

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a good reminder that there are families in our own communities dealing with circumstances most of us can only imagine.

Supporting them doesn’t always require a grand gesture. Wearing gold, sharing information about childhood cancer, volunteering, participating in a local event, or donating to an organization such as Child Cancer Fund are all ways to help.

Most importantly, September gives us an opportunity to recognize some pretty remarkable kids—and the parents, siblings, caregivers, medical teams, volunteers, and community members standing beside them.

To learn more about Child Cancer Fund and the work it does for families in the Jacksonville area, visit childcancerfund.org.