Tag Archive for: 5K for Kids Cancer

Mother-Daughter Duo Making a Difference

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Charlotte and Jennifer Gaston

Charlotte Gaston was just 11 years old when she got involved in the Isabella Santos Foundation. Her mom, Jennifer, was serving on the ISF 5K/10K for Kids Cancer marketing committee and brought Charlotte to a meeting. It was there that Charlotte shared some great ideas and was asked to join the committee.

Since getting involved in 2012, Charlotte has volunteered on the marketing committee and at the race, run in the event, and used her creative skills to fundraise for ISF. She made earrings and hair ties to sell for donations for ISF, and painted a canvas at Bella’s Birthday Bash at Small Hands Big Art. The painted canvases from the event were used in various ISF events throughout the years.

“I was just along for the ride with Charlotte’s great ideas that she brought to the table,” said Jennifer. “Charlotte and I have volunteered, distributed race materials to retail stores and have done her projects together. Sharing this experience with her has been very rewarding.”

Charlotte also helped coordinate ISF’s T-Shirt contest where she brought together students from area high schools to collect the entries and select the winning design, which was featured on the kids’ race shirts. In addition, she assembled bracelets for ISF’s Coffee For A Cure.

“It is so cool seeing how much the Isabella Santos Foundation has grown and the impact we have all had over the past six years,” said Charlotte who is now a senior at Ardrey Kell High School. “I want to stay involved as much as possible this year before I head off the college.”

Jennifer also continues to stay involved as a volunteer for the race and Coffee For A Cure, and is passionate about introducing her friends to ISF. “Volunteering with the Isabella Santos Foundation has been a great experience for both of us and has helped Charlotte see what an organization like this is capable of with the support of a lot of people,” says Jennifer. “This experience has been very meaningful and will help her in college about how to get involved and make a difference.”

What’s Happening, Charlotte? – with Grant Santos

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Grant Santos is taking matters into his own hands and hijacking marketing for the 11th Annual 5k/10k For Kids Cancer race. Watch episode 1 now and stay tuned for more…  get registered: 5kforkidscancer.com

*What’s Happening, Charlotte? – with Grant Santos* is a YouTube show in conjunction with the Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF), featuring a wide range of guests. Guests include patients to families of patients to volunteers or members of charitable organizations, all have ONE thing in common: they are showing cancer who’s boss! Hosted by 11-year-old Grant Santos, whose sister passed away from neuroblastoma at the age of 7, the show aims to help promote the ISF 5K/10K & Fun Run for Kids Cancer on Saturday, September 29th, 2018. Have you registered for this family fun event? Help Grant honor his sister’s life by bringing the community together to raise funds and awareness to make a difference in lives affected by cancer!  5kforkidscancer.com

EVENT DETAILS

  • 5K | 10K | 1-Mile fun run
  • Raffles, Auction, Kids Zone, Food
  • Ballantyne Corporate Park
  • Saturday, September 29, 2018
  • Register @ 5kforkidscancer.com

Isabella Santos Foundation 5K and 10K for Kids Cancer to Race Through Ballantyne – Sept. 29

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Aug. 6, 2018 – Grab your running shoes and craziest purple gear, and join the Isabella Santos Foundation for its 11th Annual 5K/10K for Kids Cancer and 1-Mile Fun Run on Saturday, Sept. 29 in Ballantyne Corporate Park.

“Our annual 5K and 10K for Kids Cancer brings our community together to help celebrate Isabella’s life, raise funds for pediatric cancer research and to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” said Erin Santos, Executive Director and President of the Isabella Santos Foundation. “This is a fun, family-friendly event so we encourage people of all ages to join us in running or walking and turning Ballantyne into a sea of purple. Four-legged friends are welcome too!”

The event will take place from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. at Ballantyne Corporate Park located at 15801 Brixham Hill Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28277. Race activities will go from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. with the Kids Fun Zone and Silent Auction/Raffle open from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. Registration fees vary and participants may register individually or as a team. For more information or to register, visit https://isabellasantosfoundation.org/.

Participants can further support the cause by creating a personal fundraising page and raising donations. Those not able to join the race can register as a Phantom Runner and will receive a T-shirt through the mail.

The family-friendly event provides fun for the entire family including: food and refreshments while supplies last; a silent auction and raffle; and a Kids Zone with games, face painting, slides, jump house and photo booth.

Brighthouse Financial is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include: Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital, AvidXchange, Ballantyne Pediatric Dentistry, Charlotte Eye Ears Nose and Throat, Community Blood Center of the Carolinas, Charlotte Smarty Pants, Cochrane Steel, Diamonds Direct, Dickens Mitchener, Hustle House, Merrill Lynch – The Rivlin Firestone Group,

Maxim Tickets, Modern Nissan of Lake Norman, Jersey Mike’s Subs, MassMutual Carolinas, Northwood Office, OrthoCarolina, Perfect Fit Placement, ScoopCharlotte, The Stone Man and Whole Foods Market. For more information about being a sponsor, contact Karen Murphy at kmurphy@isabellasantosfoundation.com.

Added Santos, “Huge thanks to our generous sponsors who help make this event a success. We are incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful organizations supporting Isabella’s dream of a world with no more cancer.”

About Isabella Santos Foundation

The Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF) is a 501(c)3 childhood cancer foundation dedicated to raising funds for research for neuroblastoma, other rare pediatric cancers, and charities that directly impact the lives of children with cancer. ISF was founded in honor of Isabella Santos from Charlotte, N.C. who lost her battle against neuroblastoma. ISF works to improve rare pediatric cancer treatment options in an effort to improve the survival rate of kids with cancer. For more information, visit www.isabellasantosfoundation.org  or follow ISF on Facebook (www.facebook.com/IsabellaSantosFoundation), Instagram (www.instagram.com/theisfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/TheISFoundation).

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CONTACT:

Jenni Walker – Walker PR Group – 980-339-8041-office/704-649-6571-cell

jenni@walkerprgroup.com

A Pedicure & A Race to Find the Cure

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Contributed by Wheela Sunstrom

Jenn Andrews

Most events in our daily lives go by largely unnoticed, without incident: Trips to the grocery store.  Practices for kids’ sports teams. Extracurricular school activities. Even a trip to the nail salon. But for Jenn Andrews, the latter occurrence would send an active woman on an unexpected trajectory, dictating some life-changing decisions and adjustments.

The size of a pea.

The process of getting a pedicure is generally effortless. You pick a color, settle into a comfy seat, and slip your toes into a luxurious pool of warm water.  The overall experience is mindless, relaxing, and a welcome reprieve from an otherwise chaotic schedule.

This may explain why then-pregnant Jenn didn’t think much else when her nail technician noticed a small lump on her foot. After all, the inconspicuous bump had never been noticed prior to the pampering appointment. It was classified as untroubling in her mind, and subsequently ignored.

Myxoid sarcoma.

During Jenn’s pregnancy with Baby #2, the lump on her foot grew. And so did the news. Suddenly, the salon visit from several years before went from “treat yo’self” to “you need to be treated”…specifically for a life-threatening, cancerous tumor.

An all-too-familiar story emerged after the diagnosis and initial removal of the sarcoma; remission was followed by an unfortunate return of the tumor. Jenn, unable to run from her diagnosis, had to make a difficult call.  Surgeons would perform amputation seven weeks later.

Racing, and beyond…

Now 33-years-old, a mother of 2, and a dog-mom of 3 – there are very few things missing from Jenn’s life. Her foot is certainly not one of those things!  The prosthetic she wears is barely an inconvenience compared to living without worry of recurrence. Jenn continues to fulfill her various roles with gusto, while also  launching her foundation, Move For Jenn, raising funds for sarcoma research and for amputees needing prostheses.  

Jenn Andrews

The next big  personal challenge?  Jenn set her sights on the Isabella Santos Foundation 5K on September 29th, 2018.  It will be her first race since her surgery 5 months ago. And it will be her first run with a new prosthetic.

But Jenn isn’t just running to prove to herself and others that she can do it. While it is admirable (seriously, she’s an inspiration!), Jenn chose the ISF 5K/10K race because rare, soft-tissue cancers like myxoid sarcoma and neuroblastoma are now at the forefront of her mind, having experienced it firsthand. The word “rare” carries new meaning for her, and she realized that rare sarcomas need more attention, more research, and more funding than ever before.  It’s why she uses her situation as an opportunity to help others, and why she started her foundation.

Jenn is running for the cancers you don’t hear about often. The ones that “just don’t happen” to people like her. The ones randomly discovered by nail technicians or during routine doctor appointments. The ones that don’t have a cure. Jenn runs for people who don’t have the options she had. She runs for kids like Isabella Santos, who didn’t have options until it was too late.  And she runs for people who are out of options, and shouldn’t be.

Join the movement. Join badass inspirations like Jenn. Register for the race at: www.5kforKidsCancer.com.

NEW! ‘Kids Finding Cures’ Fundraising Contest

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Photo Credit: Beth Wade Photography

The other day we were asked by a child if they raised money for ISF – could they get something fun in exchange?  A contest of sorts.. but not really.  It’s never a contest when we are fighting for a cure… BUT we are all about kids having some fun with it, so why not.  We started brainstorming and kids love our raffle at the 5K/10K FOR KIDS CANCER and why shouldn’t they?  Its AMAZING!

In honor of our 10th year anniversary of the race, we are bringing it all back to the spirit of Isabella.  Isabella was out there pounding the streets, hosting lemonade stands, asking friends and family for money… not for her, but her friends who were fighting cancer.  ISF was never about HER in her mind because she just wanted to do something to help others in need.

And just because they are young, doesn’t mean they can’t make a difference!  Lemonade stands, bake sales… get those creative ideas rolling!

INTRODUCING OUR KIDS FUNDRAISING PROGRAM!  Here is how it will work…

  • For every $250.00 that a child raises through his/her own creative way, they will receive 5 raffle tickets to the 10th Annual 5K/10K for Kids Cancer
  • The TOP 3 FUNDRAISERS will receive Amazon Cards
  • 100% of their funds raised will go toward Levine Children’s Hospital and the MIBG Treatment Room that ISF has committed to funding

START FUNDRAISING TODAY

Please tag Isabella Santos Foundation on social media… we can’t wait to see and share what your kids come up with!  #kidsmakingadifference