Bald Eagles
Every three minutes a child will hear three words that no one wants to hear: “You. Have. Cancer.”
Flashback to seven years ago when you were 10 years old. Imagine your best friend. Think of all the games you played, the places you went, the silly jokes you laughed at. Now imagine your best friend being told those three words that no one wants to hear. Replace all the things you used to do with weekly hospital visits and the fear of the unknown. For SMCHS junior Maddy Regan, this is not imagination, but reality.
Spreading the word – Junior Maddy Regan and her mother Christina Ramus recruit SMCHS students to join their club with some help from a child cancer survivor Aydan.
Regan’s best friend, Kabrina Cressey, was diagnosed with cancer in 2007.
“It was devastating,” Regan said. “After Kabrina got cancer the first time she went through a lot of chemotherapy and got rid of her cancer. But soon after she got cancer two more times and passed away in August of 2012”.
Regan and her friends decided that they wanted to do something in order to help other young girls, just like them, avoid losing their best friend like they had. After some extensive research, the girls really liked and supported the mission of the St. Baldricks foundation. They decided they would create their own team in order to raise money that would enable them find a cure for many different childhood cancers.
This year, Regan decided to bring her (out of school work) to SMCHS. Regan founded the “Bald Eagle Club” this year with the hopes of raising lots money and awareness for childhood cancer.
“I brought this club to SMCHS because I believe the kids here can relate in one way or another to losing someone with cancer,” Regan said. “Specifically, it was formed to help raise money and awareness of childhood cancer.”
The “Bald Eagle Club” is making an impressive mark during their inaugural year at SMCHS. The fundraising group is led by senior Carrie Marquart who is the master behind the recruiting people to contribute to the many money-making events put on by the club.
“Our goal by the end of the year is to raise 10,000 dollars,” Regan said. “I believe that between our 60 team members and their families and friends we will receive an amazing amount of donations that will contribute towards our goal.”
In the 1950’s 70% of the children who were diagnosed with childhood cancer died. Now, due to the extensive amount of donations and research, about 90% of kids will live. However, this still means that for some kids progress is limited and there is still little hope for a cure. The St. Baldricks foundation focuses on raising money that goes toward finding a cure.
