Many events planned during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September

Many community events are planned during Childhood Awareness Month in September to support Barbara’s Friends – Golisano Children’s Hospital cancer fund.

The awareness month includes Clips for Cancer at center stage at Bell Tower on Saturday, Sept. 21, with all the shaving happening at 10 a.m. inside Dave & Buster’s community room. The day will continue with free family friendly activities, including games, animal encounters, first responder meet-and-greet with a touch-a-truck and tours of the first-of-its kind, sensory friendly Golisano Ambulance. A Bell Tower “Go Gold” Shopping & Dining Discount Card will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting Barbara’s Friends.

Other community events leading up to Clips for Cancer include:

3 Pepper Burrito, with eight locations in Southwest Florida, will donate all proceeds from kids’ meals sold in September. The annual event has raised $19,000 in four years.

Perfect Game, featuring the top 14U baseball players in the country, will hold fundraising competitions. Last year, the tournament raised $83,054. The community is invited to the free exhibition game on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. at JetBlue Park.

Mel’s Diner will be selling T-shirts during September at their five Southwest Florida locations designed by current cancer patient, Alba Cuka, 14 of Naples. The restaurant will also be hosting a pancake breakfast on Oct. 25 to benefit Barbara’s Friends.

Palm City Brewing Company will be donating proceeds from the sale of their Ocean View Lager all month to benefit Barbara’s Friends. The brewery will also be hosting a special “Go Gold Happy Hour” for Barbara’s Friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 with a special release of their “Go Gold,” a specially brewed, custom labeled bear, with all proceeds benefiting Barbara’s Friends while supplies last.

Riverdale High School will sell T-shirts designed by Marison Bradley, 15, from Naples during homecoming events and the homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. In four years, the event at the school has raised $24,000.

Pure Barre & Cycle Bar will offer benefit classes and have raised $8,500 in four years.

On Saturday, Sept. 21 CycleBar Fort Myers will offer $10 donation classes at 7:45 a.m. 9:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Pure Barre Fort Myers and Pure Barre Gateway will be offering several classes during the month for a donation to Barbara’s Friends. Call the studios for details.

The community can also get involved and support local children at Clips for Cancer by:
Becoming a shavee: Sign up to have a pediatric cancer survivor/patient shave your head. Register for $25, set a personal fundraising goal and create a fundraising page to support the cause.

Donating, fundraising and sponsoring the event.
Each year, community support raised during the month of September helps families with children receiving cancer treatment, such as providing gas cards to make sure kids can get to and from Golisano for daily treatments, paying for medications when insurance will not cover at-home chemo or pain relief drugs, or purchasing meals so parents can stay by their children during treatment. Barbara’s Friends also offers college scholarships, so that survivors can apply for college funds.

For information on Clips for Cancer, community events and other ways to support Barbara’s Friends during the month of September, visit BarbarasFriends.org or email [email protected].

About Barbara’s Friends – Helping Kids with Cancer at Golisano Children’s Hospital
Established in 1995, Barbara’s Friends provides equipment, staffing and services to support lifesaving cancer care for children from across Southwest Florida at Golisano Children’s Hospital. The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program is the only program of its kind in Southwest Florida and has served over 12,000 patients since opening. No child is denied treatment or turned away as a result of their family’s inability to pay for care. For more information about Barbara’s Friends fund and supporting child patients in your community, please call Lee Health Foundation at (239) 343-6950 or visit BarbarasFriends.org.