Decorations, gifts, Santa, Elf on the Shelf—so many tangibles to think about during the holiday season. For many of us, what escapes our routine thoughts are the silent struggles of many families in our area, like those caring for a child with cancer. While it is easy to get wrapped up in our own distractions, we would like to take a moment and be mindful of the difficulties families dealing with the challenges of childhood cancer endure day in and day out, whether it be long hours of chemo treatments or isolation because of COVID-19.
This year, after hearing too many stories of friends and families dealing with the difficulties of childhood cancer, the Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas firm was introduced to Friends of Kids with Cancer, an organization that supports children undergoing treatment for and survivors of cancer and blood-related diseases. In 1992, Friends of Kids with Cancer was founded by a group of parents of children in treatment who witnessed their kids’ struggles and saw the need for a program to serve kids battling cancer.
The organization stresses that a positive mental outlook can be just as important as the medicine used to treat the disease. They provide programs to build self-esteem and provide laughter to the families enduring this process.
We are proud and humbled to provide a monetary donation to the Friends of Kids with Cancer organization during this year’s holiday season. Our thoughts are with those families spending their time during the holidays watching over a sick child and we hope this small gesture will lighten their load some, and bring a little holiday spirit to all their lives.