Octavia Merritt and Montana Koplin’s students at the Northside Early Learning Center are P'jammin for Kids with Cancer.
Every September, students and staff members at Churchill County School District bring in a donation of any amount and all money raised benefits Northern Nevada children battling cancer.
Churchill County High School teacher Tiffany Wright started P’jammin for Kids with Cancer in 2012 after her daughter, Kendrik, died from a very rare form of brain cancer called DIPG.
“After Kendrik passed away, I knew I had to do something to help other families who are struggling with cancer,” Wright said.
The school counselor at Numa, Noreen Swenson, also plays a big part in getting this event organized every year. Swenson's daughter, Sara, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in 2009. Swenson said the Fallon community was a huge support to her family while Sara was battling cancer, and even after her death in 2011.
“Supporting the organizations that do so much for families of children with cancer is dear to my heart, so I feel blessed to help and support Tiffany in continuing this fundraising event in our school district each year,” Swenson said.
For the first couple of years, Wright and Swenson split donations between the Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation and the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Now they send donations to NNCCF, however, to ensure the money goes to children and their families in Northern Nevada.
During Wright’s daughter's battle, her family discovered NNCCF, an organization dedicated to helping local families with children battling cancer.
“Their support and guidance was more than we could have ever imagined,” Wright said. “When we couldn't even think about the normal day-to-day activities of life, they stepped in to help our family with dinners, gas cards, and monthly bills. They even had gifts for our son Bransyn, who was only 3 at the time. They put us in touch with other families who had been through this fight, counselors and therapists.”
In September, Churchill County schools came together and raised $4,893.90 that Wright will donate to NNCCF. P’jammin not only helps raise funds for NNCCF, but it also raises awareness and honors those who are battling, will battle, or have battled this disease.
“No parent ever wants to hear the words, ‘your child has cancer’ but if those words are ever spoken, organizations like NNCCF are there to help in any way they can, which is exactly why I continue to coordinate P’jammin for Kids with Cancer each year and donate to their organization,” Wright said.
Kaitlin Ritchie is the public information officer for the Churchill County School District.