Stop Childrens Cancer
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128824)
Gainesville, Florida
February 10, 2016 7:26pm CST
A local radio station, one of the most popular in our area, was promoting a fundraising campaign today in support of Stop Childrens Cancer. Their signature event, which they do every year, is a bear-a-thon, which listeners can call in to the radio station or log on to their website to purchase a bear in support of the pediatric cancer treatment center at the local hospital. For a $40 tax-deductible donation, people can purchase a stuffed teddy bear.
The event is successful in multiple ways. First, each bear that is purchased by the radio listeners is donated to the hospital to be given to children undergoing cancer treatment. Second, the money raised from the event is donated to the hospital for their pediatric cancer treatment program. And third, a lot of awareness is raised about the cancer treatment programs available at the local hospital.
I am a proud supporter of the event, and make sure I contribute every year. Is there a similar event in your community, and if so, what is the fundraising activity, and what charity does it support? Do you contribute?
10 people like this
10 responses
@LadyDuck (502148)
• Italy
12 Feb 16
@moffittjc I hope it's true, anyway we go with donations directly to the hospital, just to play safe.
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
@LadyDuck Generally speaking, I do the same thing. I will make my donation directly to the charity or organization to ensure it is getting used effectively and efficiently. In the case of this bear-a-thin, I bought one of the teddy bears. The bear went to a child in the hospital, and the money I paid for the bear went to the hospital for pediatric cancer research.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
That is true, so many organizations funnel off so much money to keep for themselves, that it's become a public shame. Fortunately, this radio station assured all the listeners that 100% of the proceeds were going to the hospital, and not to anyone else.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
13 Jan 18
@moffittjc I did contribute to one but it was to help those with heart issues. I bought a bear. I have no idea where that is now. I probably donated it. But yeah there are plenty of charities and events that go on here. Telethon is the biggest thing we have here in Perth. They have a bunch of performances and while that's going on they have people calling in and donating money and all that money goes to hospitals. It's awesome.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Jan 18
We have a few telethons here too, and they always raise a lot of money. I always love seeing so much money raised for good causes. After the hurricanes devastated Houston, most of Florida, and all of Puerto Rico, lots and lots of money started pouring in for hurricane relief and recovery efforts.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Jan 18
@VivaLaDani13 I get annoyed with that all the time, like when I see rich people who live in mega-mansions with 25 bedrooms or crazy stuff like that. I mean, just live in a 3 or 4 bedroom house and all that extra money can go to buy houses for the homeless. What in the name of all that is holy do rich people need 25 bedrooms for? lol
2 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
14 Jan 18
@moffittjc I love seeing that sort of thing too. Nothing is more beautiful than seeing people working together and helping each other. It's lovely. But I admit I do get a bit annoyed with all this money that is spent on crap that we do not need that could easily be going to much needed causes.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
That's great to hear! The Duke Children's Hospital is such a great medical facility!
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6406)
•
13 Feb 16
i hav ea friend whose 3 year old has been fighting (successfully) brain cancer for over a year now. i can never understand how these innocents get it. it is horrible. as for donating, we are always broke, it seems. i can offer prayers though.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Feb 16
Sometimes prayers are more powerful than any monetary donation can ever be! Keep up the prayers!
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
11 Feb 16
I think everyone should select a cause. We cannot reasonably support them all, no matter how much we would like to do so. I picked my local public library as my cause. Soon, I will add another cause. Good luck with yours.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
Very well said! And if each and every one of us took up a cause we were willing to support, think of how much better off this world would be!
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
12 Feb 16
@moffittjc It would also teach empathy, which would help solve even more problems.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
The only thing that concerns me about so many fundraisers aimed at cancer, is that we are throwing our money into finding ways to treat cancer, instead of finding ways to cure cancer. There's a big difference. I'm not saying we should donate to charities who treat cancer, I just wish we could put more money into research to find answers.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
@JudyEv It's a really bad problem here in my city. Literally everybody and their brother has a foundation. And none of them actually do anything except raise money and then pay themselves a salary. For many, it's nothing more than a scam. And it's a shame because people donate thinking it's going to help someone do something good, when it's really just going into the pockets of the foundation director.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Feb 16
@moffittjc From time to time we hear of foundations closing. And some have been prosecuted for not complying with whatever rules they have to abide by. So there are some safeguards. But it can put you off donating.
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
That is very nice that you do that, and I'm sure the hospitals really appreciate your generosity. Actually, I should say the patients that receive lifesaving services from those hospitals thank you for your support!
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
11 Feb 16
Our village has an overseas aid fundraising drive and each year they choose one or more charities to support and organise a range of activities to raise money- fun run, concerts, summer fete, jumble sales etc. It's been going for about 25 years and has been very successful. There's also a village cancer fund that supports a local research institute, and various other fund-raising initiatives. Quite a philanthropic place I guess!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
Sounds like a great little village full of caring people! Good for you and all your fellow villagers for having such a big heart! I'm sure a lot of people were helped as a result of your generosity, and those people are very appreciative I'm sure.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
11 Feb 16
St. Jude Childrens Hospital is one of my favorites @moffittjc . It rips my heart out when kids get cancer. What I wish these organizations would demand and look into is the absolute filth in the foods we are 'forced' to eat. Chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, steroids, hormones and antibiotics are NOT necessary in the foods we consume. There are more cases of cancer, ADHD, ADD, Autism and others that are prevalent in children because they can not fight with decreased immune systems and I'm talking about from birth. The EPA, FDA, USDA are directly responsible for this.
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
I agree 100% with everything you said. It always breaks my heart that nobody will admit to what's really killing us all, and then take action to do something about it. It's like so many people and organizations have their heads buried in the sand because they don't want to confront the real problem with our nation's health (or lack thereof)
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Feb 16
@nanette64 It's too bad all the grocery stores don't take a stand against Monsanto. They are evil.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
12 Feb 16
@moffittjc I am proud of other countries that looked into this and did something about it. Several countries absolutely refuse products from the US (particularly meat) because of it and Monsanto is at the top of their list of companies they hate. If other countries came up with the devastating statistics, you know darn well the US knows them too. Some of the grocery stores in my area sell only organic foods because they know it's the right thing to do and the prices are extremely reasonable.
@sgbrown (1638)
• United States
11 Feb 16
This sounds like a wonderful event! Cancer is such a horrible disease, children shouldn't get cancer! We are a small town and don't have many events for charity. When we do, hubby and I do try to contribute. 
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 16
Maybe if we stopped pumping our food supply full of antibiotics, steroids, growth hormones and other toxic chemicals, less of our children would get cancer. I really feel like we are literally killing ourselves for the sake of cheap, abundant food. And who are the ones that are suffering? Our children. It just breaks my heart.
