On September 29th, I am running the Life Time Chicago Fall Half Marathon for the patients at Lurie Children’s! I am dedicating my 13.1 miles to make things A Little Lighter for the patients and families that I care for. September is Pediatric Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Every year for the last few years, the staff in the Division of Cancer and Blood Disorders have fundraised in direct support of the patients and families that we care for each day. 

This fund was started by nursing from the feeling that we sometimes cannot do enough.  We can’t take away every child’s cancer. We can’t take away every child’s pain.  We can’t take away the heartache of the parent’s that feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness.  

But what we strive to do every day is to make things A Little Lighter.

• $10 can buy a family a thermometer to detect early signs of life-threatening infections at home while their child is immunocompromised.
• $14 can pay for a parking pass so both parents can come to bedside for dinner without thinking of the cost of another parking space. 
• $50 can buy games and distractive toys for kids during their long hospital stays.  
• $100 can support a parent attending one of our parents support groups.
• $500 can help fund an event for our Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) group to support teens going through cancer treatment.
• $1,000 can go towards finding better treatment for pediatric cancer and sickle cell disease. 

All donations are tax-deductible and will be acknowledged by Lurie Children’s Foundation.

On behalf of the patients and families of Lurie Children’s, thank you for your support!

find out more at: https://www.alittlelighter.org/