ISF Summer Intern Team Purple Cancer Eaters Wins Intern Challenge

Written by Maitland Danner, Director of Operations

On June 1st, ISF brought on 5 LEAD Student Interns to oversee a collective team of over 50 young adults, ranging from High school to Graduate School, for our inaugural summer intern program. Their goal? Help us take the 13th Annual 5k for Kids Cancer Virtual. In addition, we wanted to teach them about our mission to help children fighting rare pediatric cancers and have them spread hope and inspiration to their individual networks. By the end of the summer, this program raised over $78,000 and brought in 278 race participants located in 27 states and beyond the US. The impact of this group was outstanding!

When the program began, we challenged our 5 LEADS with several tasks and told them we would choose an “overall winner” out of their group, by the end of summer. This group of LEADS rose to the challenge with their tenacity, their creativity and their leadership. The program as a whole was a huge success, but we definitely had a clear winner by the end of August. 

Meet Ashton Barlow. 

Ashton is a junior at The College of Charleston, majoring in Exercise Science and rose to the top after her team, The Purple Cancer Eaters independently raised over $32,000. As a group, they not only introduced ISF to their friends and family, but also engaged multiple new businesses to become event sponsors and in addition, helped us reach a handful of new Three Wish Society members.  Their collective accomplishment was impressive and we wanted you to meet them.

Meet The Purple Cancer Eaters.

• Alexa Hall, Charlotte Catholic High School
• Caroline Knight, College of Charleston
• Taylor Knapp, Brown University
• Abby Carpenter, Clemson University
• Kate Ison, Ardrey Kell High School
• Zoe Callis, Ardrey Kell High School
• Darien Pisacano, Carmel Christian High School
• Lily Urban, College of Charleston
• Zoe Claytor, UNC- Chapel Hill

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to The Purple Cancer Eaters and their LEAD Intern, Ashton. Thank you for an incredible job well done. 

When we look back on the Summer of 2020, we will always remember it as one that was certainly not what we had planned. However, the amazing gift we received from this group of Leaders (Ashton Barlow, Brendi Bluitt, Zoe Pudela, Emily Mecia and Jack Davis) was invaluable. Their leadership was incredible and our Virtual 5k For Kids Cancer is thriving because of their efforts and the hardworking teams they led. We have certainly bonded with this group and they will continue to be a part of our ISF Family.  Thank you to everyone for an amazing summer getting to know you. If you can rise above the  challenge and exceed during this ZOOM and Covid environment, we have no doubt you will ALL do amazing things in life!  The impact you made in three months is tremendous and you should be so proud.