Tag: pediatric cancer research

  • Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing gearing up for 20th amazing year

    Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing gearing up for 20th amazing year

    June 6 and 7 | Hickory Woods Golf Course

    July 14 | O’Bannon Creek Golf Club

    Loveland, Ohio – Join Paxton’s Grill to celebrate an AMAZING 20 YEARS of raising critical funds for CancerFree KIDS!

    The 20th Anniversary golf outing will again be a three-day event. As they done for the past several years, the annual weekend outing will be held Friday, June 6th and Saturday, June 7th, 2025 at Hickory Woods Golf Course.

    The Corporate Outing will be at O’Bannon Creek Golf Club on Monday, July 14th, 2025.

    The mission of CancerFree KIDS is to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children by funding promising research that might otherwise go unfunded. Your support of this amazing mission by playing in and/or sponsoring this year’s expanded event is greatly appreciated. Visit www.cancerfreekids.org for more information.

    Since the inception of this event more than 19 years ago the golf outing has raised over $700,000 with the goal this year to exceed our 2024 total and raise over $100,000.

    Sponsorship and Registration information is NOW AVAILABLE here!

    About CancerFree KIDS

    CancerFree KIDS aims to find more effective and gentler treatments for childhood cancer by funding innovative research projects in the early stages of development. New ideas need money to grow, yet potential breakthrough treatment methods often go unfunded because pediatric cancer research is drastically limited. CancerFree KIDS provides grants to high-risk/high-reward childhood cancer research projects in these crucial early stages, which allows researchers to prove their concept, secure additional funding, and eventually create new treatments for kids.

    ​Learn How They Got Started

  • Graeter’s Ice Cream and The Cure Starts Now Collaboration Will Hit $2 Million Raised in the Pursuit of the Homerun Cure™ for Childhood Cancer

    Graeter’s Ice Cream and The Cure Starts Now Collaboration Will Hit $2 Million Raised in the Pursuit of the Homerun Cure™ for Childhood Cancer

    Loveland, Ohio – Graeter’s Ice Cream, a 154-year-old, family owned craft ice cream company, has again partnered with The Cure Starts Now in its 16th annual campaign in support of finding the Homerun Cure™ for childhood cancer.

    Graeter’s will host its annual Cones for The Cure campaign in efforts to raise money for The Cure Starts Now Foundation and pediatric cancer research, and will offer one of its most iconic seasonal flavors, Elena’s Blueberry Pie. This classic summertime favorite was created by the Graeter’s team in support of The Cure Starts Now and will be available throughout September.

    A pie with a slice cut out Description automatically generated

    At the center of Graeter’s Cones for The Cure campaign is The Cure Starts Now and its mission to find the “Homerun Cure™” by focusing on pediatric brain cancer. The campaign gives ice cream lovers a unique way to support this increasingly important cause and bring hope to those in need. Since 2009, the family-owned ice cream brand has raised more than $1.9 million for the cause, which included a surprise $10,000 donation made by a customer last year, making it the very first “platinum scoop” donation. Graeter’s is excited to exceed the $2 million marker this year.

    A bag of dog treats next to a bowl of food Description automatically generated

    From September 5th through September 15th, all Graeter’s Rewards members will be eligible for a free single dip sugar cone of Elena’s Blueberry Pie ice cream through the Graeter’s app, redeemable at any of the Graeter’s scoop shops. All customers will be able to make a donation in stores or online at conesforthecure.org to support the cause. New this year, look for limited edition ice cream pies made with Elena’s Blueberry Pie ice cream as well as special “Bones for the Cure” Bark’n Blueberry dog treats for your furry friends during the Dog’s Night Out event on September 5th.  All Scoop Shops will have a limited number of pies and dog treats for purchase, while supplies last!  A portion of these proceeds from these items also help support our Cones for the Cure effort.

    “Every year we create our signature Elena’s Blueberry Pie ice cream as a limited time offer for this special partnership,” shared Chip Graeter, 4th generation co-owner of Graeter’s. “Since we first partnered with The Cure Starts Now back in 2009, we have released this flavor in efforts to raise funds to find the Homerun Cure™ for pediatric brain cancer. We’re eager to see everyone in our scoop shops enjoy some delicious ice cream and support these children and families.”

    “This partnership highlights the value of teamwork and the dollars raised are making an amazing impact,” shared Keith Desserich, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board at The Cure Starts Now. “This year, we’ll reach and exceed $2 million in donations from Graeter’s Ice Cream. Graeter’s has been a fundamental partner and we are so appreciative of their entire organization and the support they put behind Cones For The Cure.”

    With the funds raised from the Cones for the Cure campaign, The Cure Starts Now has funded 17 research projects and trials. Since 2011, with the support from Graeter’s, their efforts have resulted in the tripling of expected survival times from 5 months to 18 months. The Cure Starts Now was started in Cincinnati but now has more than 48 locations worldwide and an army of over 900 families united to fight pediatric brain cancer.

    About Graeter’s Ice Cream

    Graeter’s Ice Cream, celebrating its 154th anniversary, produces craft ice cream using French Pots®, a small batch, artisanal method of production dating back over a century. Graeter’s has won the hearts of ice cream enthusiasts across the country as well as the respect of the nation’s most influential foodies. Tasted among 13 national brands, Graeter’s was voted the #1 Vanilla Ice Cream by MyRecipes.com in 2019. Famous for their signature chocolate chips, the Cincinnati-based company remains family-owned and operated and continues to handcraft ice cream 2 1⁄2 gallons at a time. Today, Graeter’s currently has 56 retail stores and ships over 300,000 pints annually for online mail-order sales and corporate gifting. Graeter’s can also be found in more than 3,000 grocery stores in 46 states. Visit www.graeters.com for more information.

    https://www.facebook.com/Graeters

    https://twitter.com/Graeters

    https://instagram.com/Graeters

    https://www.pinterest.com/Graeters

    About The Cure Starts Now

    The Cure Starts Now was started in honor of 6-year-old Cincinnati girl, Elena Desserich, and her battle with DIPG. With 48 chapters worldwide, The Cure Starts Now has quickly gained acclaim as one of the fastest growing cancer research charities and one of the first ones to advocate a homerun strategy for cancer research. Many experts believe that the lessons we learn from fighting pediatric brain cancer may in fact provide us the critical first step in winning the battle against all forms of cancer, both pediatric and adult. Since 2007, The Cure Starts Now has funded over $34 million in DIPG/DMG and Homerun Curecancer research and support at institutions globally.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheCureStartsNow/

    https://twitter.com/CureStartsNow

    https://www.instagram.com/thecurestartsnow/

  • CancerFree KIDS is expanding to Columbus!

    CancerFree KIDS is expanding to Columbus!

    Loveland, Ohio – In a newsletter sent today CancerFree KIDS announced, they have been proud to invest in pediatric cancer research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus for nearly 15 years and are excited to expand the organization’s presence in the Columbus community under the leadership of their newest team member, Melissa Jackson.

    _______________________

    Please help us build our CancerFree KIDS community in Columbus! If you or a friend live in the Columbus area and would like to receive more information about events, volunteer opportunities and research impact in Columbus, please let us know!

    _______________________

    CancerFree KIDS would like to welcome our newest team member, Melissa Jackson, who will serve as our market director in Columbus! CancerFree KIDS has been proud to invest in pediatric cancer research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for nearly 15 years and we are excited to expand our organization’s presence in the Columbus community under Melissa’s leadership.
    Melissa has extensive experience in public health and non-profit management and has served the cancer community directly through numerous state and national non-profits. As the mother of a pediatric cancer survivor herself, she also founded a local non-profit and support group for parents who have children with cancer.
    Volunteer on Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving! On Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving on March 27th, 100% of sales in Greater Cincinnati and NKY are donated to CancerFree KIDS! Help us make this day a success by volunteering in your local store!
    Learn More and Register to Volunteer

     

    Join the the Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing

    Save the date for the 19th Annual Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing benefiting CancerFree KIDS on Friday, June 7th, Saturday, June 8th and the Corporate Outing on Monday, July 15th! Sponsor registration is also open! Register your foursome and view sponsorship opportunities here.

    19th Annual Paxton’s Grill Golf Outing Benefitting CancerFree KIDS

    About CancerFree KIDS

    CancerFree KIDS aims to find gentler, more effective childhood cancer treatments by funding innovative research projects in the early stages of development. New ideas need money to grow, yet potential breakthrough treatment methods often go nowhere because pediatric cancer research is drastically underfunded.

    CancerFree KIDS provides grants to high-risk/high-reward childhood cancer research projects in these crucial early stages, which allows researchers to prove their concept, secure additional funding, find new treatment therapies and eventually end childhood cancer.

     

  • An Interview with Julia Wolf: The Wolf Pack’s “Cure Starts Now”

    An Interview with Julia Wolf: The Wolf Pack’s “Cure Starts Now”

    Loveland Magazine President and Publisher Cassie Mattia at her “Table of Discussions”.

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – “We know Grant is ‘done with cancer’ but not in the way any of us hoped for,” Sara Wolf said in 2021 after losing her son, Grant Wolf at just 7 years old to Medulloblastoma, a malignant tumor in the cerebellum region of the brain.

    Grant’s twin sister, 9-year-old Julia Wolf, has made it her mission to advocate for childhood cancer research in memory of her brother. This will be the third year that Julia’s “Grant for Grant” fundraiser will be raising money with “The Cure Starts Now” for childhood cancer research.

    Julia’s love for stuffed animals was abundantly apparent when immediately after my interview she went to sit with the sock monkey in our studio.

    Julia came up with the idea to fundraise in memory of her brother Grant at his funeral in 2021. Julia had been worried about having a birthday without Grant by her side so she brainstormed and came up with two ideas; donate stuffed dogs to kids with cancer, as she and Grant loved to play with stuffed animals together, and raise money for childhood brain cancer research. Julia’s mom loved the idea and thought what a great way to get “Grant’s Wolf Pack” involved, a group of supporters and advocates for childhood cancer research, and other cancer organizations such as The Cure Starts Now. “She set the fundraising goal at $240. We watched the total grow, and grow and grow and knew that the Grant for Grant fundraiser was going to make a big impact,” Sara said.

    Julia’s first Grant for Grant fundraiser collected $56,000 and the following year the campaign brought in $52,000.

    With Julia and Grant’s 10th birthday coming up and the third year of the Grant for Grant fundraiser in full swing, Julia has been working hard to spread awareness about childhood brain cancer. Julia’s goal this year is to raise at least $50,000 for her A Grant for Grant fundraiser by her and Grant’s birthday on February 11th.

    “Grant was really funny. He loved playing dogs and sports. He was the best twin brother,” Julia said to Loveland Magazine in a 2021 interview, “I really wanted to do something about finding a cure for cancer so that no other kid has to go through these tough times.”

    Here at Loveland Magazine, we wanted to make sure we not only continued to support Julia’s cause but also let our community of readers know how they can support the cause too, so we invited Julia into the Loveland Magazine studios for a one-on-one interview! Click below to listen to the “Send it to the Table” podcast and the on-camera interview featuring Loveland’s sweetheart, Julia Wolf!


    Listen to the “Send it to the Table” Podcast by Cassie Mattia featuring Julia Wolf



    Wolf Family Photos


    The Cure Starts Now represents something truly different – a grassroots effort dedicated to, not just fighting one cancer, but the elimination of ALL cancers. We believe as the experts do; that in order to truly cure cancer you have to focus on:
    • Those cancers that are immune to treatment.
    • Those cancers that also affect children.
    • Those cancers that are the biggest bullies with the highest death rate.

    Learn all about The Cure Starts Now in the video below!

    Learn More

    SAVE THE DATE for one of Cincinnati’s most unique auctions and the premiere fundraiser for The Cure Starts Now

    As the premiere fundraiser for The Cure Starts Now, the Once in a Lifetime Gala is one of Cincinnati’s most unique galas. Join over 900 guests as they enjoy a 3-course gourmet meal, open bar, a 400-package silent auction, a once-in-a-lifetime experience live auction, and entertainment. Please join us as we continue our battle against pediatric brain cancer and honor our cancer warriors.

    100% of the proceeds benefit The Cure Starts Now.  Thanks to events like this, The Cure Starts Now has funded $21,188,327 in pediatric cancer research and support in conjunction with our DIPG/DMG Collaborative Partners.  The proceeds will benefit The Cure Starts Now, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to finding a “home run” cure for cancer through funding of pediatric brain cancer research.

    EARLY BIRD PRICING FOR 2023 

    Receive admission to The Cure Starts Now auction, dinner, and program. Includes complementary beer, wine, and soft drinks.

    Send it to the Table

    If you have a story you would like to bring to my all-new segment, the “Table of Discussions,” where I talk about anything and everything going on locally and nationally, email me at cmattia12@gmail.com. I’d love to sit at my table with you and discuss an issue or listen to your story!


  • CANCERFREE KIDS APPOINTS THREE PROMINENT BUSINESS LEADERS TO TRUSTEE BOARD

    CANCERFREE KIDS APPOINTS THREE PROMINENT BUSINESS LEADERS TO TRUSTEE BOARD

    Loveland, Ohio – CancerFree KIDS has appointed three new members to its Board of Trustees in a move to “grow more relationships with Greater Cincinnati’s business community and expand its impact in pediatric cancer research”.

    Tom Simpson, chief operating officer, Cincinnati Bell, Inc
    Javier Diaz, vice president, Cancer & Blood Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
    Rob Reifsnyder, chief executive officer (retired), United Way of Greater Cincinnati

    “We are strategically putting the pieces together to help take CancerFree KIDS to the next level,” says Al Early, vice president and principal of consulting services, CBTS, and incoming board chair for CancerFree KIDS. “With Javier, Rob, and Tom, we can stay closely aligned with emerging research opportunities while reaching more of Cincinnati’s business leaders and growing the support for vital pediatric cancer initiatives.”

    Diaz, Reifsnyder, and Simpson join a board that has also recently seen a change in leadership.

    Al Early replaces CancerFree KIDS Founder Ellen Flannery as the new board chair.

    In addition to Early’s new role, Kelly Holden, partner, DBL Law has been named vice-chair and Greg Carroll, director, technical support center office of ground water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been named treasurer.

    “CancerFree KIDS is a tremendous partner to Ohio cancer researchers,” says Diaz. “I’m excited to join a team that is so clear in its mission to apply revolutionary research to cure high-risk and relapsed cancer in children. Thanks to CancerFree KIDS and the research it has funded, there are kids who are right now enjoying longer, happy lives. I am grateful for this opportunity to help CancerFree KIDS grow these important efforts.”

    Founded in 2002, CancerFree KIDS has invested more than $7 million since its inception to fund high-risk, high- reward research initiatives at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Avondale and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The studies intend to find cures and gentler treatments to help children better cope with the pains and challenges of fighting cancer. In most cases, this research would go unfunded without the support of CancerFree KIDS.

    Visit www.cancerfreekids.org to learn more about the organization’s mission and work to fight childhood cancer.