September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and as educators, we know that our children are more precious than gold!
Please join us in our fourth annual Boerne ISD Gold Out Campaign as we attempt to raise awareness for childhood cancer in the Boerne area. We are working with the nonprofit group, Teaming Up to Fight Childhood Cancer, again this year to raise money specifically for pediatric cancer research because sadly only 4% of US federal cancer funding is dedicated solely to pediatric cancer.
Four events will be sponsored:
- CHS football game on 9/6 vs. Veterans Memorial HS
- BHS football game on 9/13 vs. Holy Cross HS
- BHS volleyball game on 9/20 vs. Lanier HS
- CHS volleyball game on 9/24 vs. Kerrville Tivy HS
We are hoping to fill our stadiums with as many Gold Out shirts as possible as we will be honoring all children and/or families in our Boerne area who have been affected by childhood cancer during the half time events at all these games. We ask athletes to raise awareness with their actions, their teams, their fans and be a bold role model for all children. Athletes can achieve more than a win; they can help lengthen lives!
The shirts are $10 and $7 from every shirt goes directly towards Pediatric Cancer RESEARCH!
All money collected will go through the B.E.S.T. Foundation (Boerne Extracurricular Sports Trust) before being sent to Teaming Up to Fight Childhood Cancer. Shirts will be sold on campus at BHS and CHS, as well as at home games up to and including the Gold Out games. Shirts can be ordered from your elementary and middle school campuses where orders will be delivered once they are fulfilled.
In the past, many of the campuses designate one day per week in September as their campus “Gold Out Day.” In addition, shirts can be worn throughout the year to support awareness.
Over the past four years Teaming Up to Fight Childhood Cancer has raised over $250,000 that has gone directly to pediatric cancer research. Donations have been made to neuroblastoma, sarcoma, leukemia, and DIPG (brain tumor) research. Boerne ISD was responsible for approximately $27,500 of that total and because of this $20,000 was donated to Texas Children’s Hospital for pediatric leukemia immunotherapy research and $7,500 to the UTHSCSA for research on the late effects of childhood cancer treatments – both specifically from Boerne ISD. I know that with the continued support of our Boerne ISD family, we can help Teaming Up to meet their goal of $100,000 for research this year!
To purchase a shirt please take advantage of one of the following opportunities:
- Complete this ORDER FORM and turn it into your campus with payment
- Visit your high school campus at home scrimmages and games
- Visit Dang Sassy Boutique at 438 S Main St, Boerne, TX 78006
Facts about Childhood Cancer:
- Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killer of children and adolescents – killing more children than all other diseases combined.
- More than 2,300 children with cancer die each year.
- 43 children per day are diagnosed with cancer in the US, about 16,000 a year- that’s about 2 classrooms of kids a day.
- Incidence of invasive pediatric cancers has increased by 29% in the past 20 years.
- The cause of most childhood cancers is unknown, and at present childhood cancer cannot be prevented.
- Kids who survive cancer have an 8X higher risk of future disease and death due to toxic treatments.
- Only 3 new drugs have been approved by the FDA to specifically treat childhood cancer in the last 20 years (23 new cancer drugs for adults in 2012 alone).
- SADLY ONLY 4% of US FEDERAL FUNDING IS SOLELY DEDICATED TO CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH.
