The DC/Northern Virginia Chapter of the For A Day Foundation had another great time participating in the CureFest for Childhood Cancer on September 22 in Washington, DC. A hot and humid day couldn’t stop our wonderful volunteers and the CureFest participants from all over the U.S. from gathering on the National Mall to raise awareness about and unite as one voice against childhood cancer, all while celebrating the strength and resilience of pediatric cancer patients. 

This year’s focus was primarily on making connections with young adults and parents who were unaware of the For A Day mission and who could easily make a difference by starting a For A Day Foundation Chapter in their hometown or at their college. Many of the participant’s faces lit up when we explained how the members of the For A Day Foundation positively affect the lives of pediatric cancer patients. A few visitors whose family members or children were still receiving treatment commented on how wonderful the For A Day Foundation was and couldn’t wait to get in touch with their respective hospital coordinators to determine the possibility of starting a chapter. 

Of course, the main attraction to our booth - like last year - was our sparkling tiaras and our creativity station, with an added bonus this year of awesome firefighter hat giveaways. Our awesome, DIY Queen, Tila, had a great time helping visitors decorate snap bracelets and awesome “magic wands” that we were promised would “expelliarmus” any sign of pediatric cancer that crossed its path! 

One of the most memorable moments of this year’s CureFest was meeting a young pediatric cancer survivor whose passion and drive to raise awareness prompted her to start her own pediatric cancer foundation, the Sadie Heller Foundation. This young lady was one of the most well-spoken, educated, and empathetic women I have ever met. Often as adults, we don’t realize that kids and young adults are able to thrive in the face of adversity, but this woman was mature beyond her years and served as a gentle reminder of how resilient and strong children can be. She is a true role model and her passion serves as a reminder of how important it is to continuously and empathically enrich the lives of pediatric cancer patients all over the nation. 

Overall, CureFest for Childhood Cancer 2019 was another rousing success! We again recruited many new volunteers and made connections with so many children and participants who, like For A Day, believe that the best thing we can do for pediatric cancer patients to just let them be kids. See you again next year!