Cancer Kids First, Woodgrove’s branch of the national club, meets every green club week. The club has the virtuous mission of normalizing how the public sees cancer patients, while also trying to uplift their spirits and limit the social isolation that they go through during cancer treatment.
Cancer Kids First sends kids with cancer many handmade gifts. Bree Mohler, a sophomore and Vice President of Cancer Kids First, explained, “We make crafts and send them to the hospitals. We also make cards and send them to specific cancer patients who tell us their interests, and then we coordinate the cards to their interests. We have also made bracelets and ornaments.”
Cancer Kids First also meets with children on Zoom to help with social isolation. Tyler Spagnoli, the President of Cancer Kids First, elaborated, “Just being with that other person, and having them know that someone’s taking time out of their day to be on a Zoom with them, helps boost their mental health and helps take away some of those draws of isolation. They don’t really have too many people to lean onto. Just playing a game on Zoom with them, and having them know that there’s someone in the world who cares for them, and that they’re not alone is very beneficial to their mental health.”
Recently, Cancer Kids First partnered with Ribbon Warriors, a breast cancer awareness club, to organize the Powerpuff Football game, a charity football game between Junior and Senior teams of girl players. He said, “We helped run the game and received a percentage of the profits, and we also did a halftime fundraiser. Next year, we’re hoping to potentially even run the entire event, so that a lot of the profits will go directly to the kids.”
The benefits of joining Cancer Kids First can also extend to college admissions and the National Honor Society. Mohler said, “Every single club meeting, you get an hour of community service, and we also track your community service hours for you. It’s also great for colleges and getting your community service hours up for NHS.”
Cancer Kids First also helps kids with cancer by sending them care packages. Spagoni stated, “They’re donations of toys that they want. Maybe they align with their interests, and we can include cards in them. It’s like a donation to them, and even just new toys to play with can put a smile on their face.”
Cancer Kids First has been helping children with cancer for many years now, and they are working hard to ensure that they can continue to do so for many more years to come. The club is open green club days to all students who want to assist in lessening the mental burden of cancer on children.