December 2024 Newsletter
Swifter, Higher, Stronger Together.
Our theme for 2024 is the Olympics!
The motto for the Olympics is “Swifter, Higher, Stronger Together”.
We are a local nonprofit. We can react quickly to meet the needs of our Families.
We aim to provide meaningful support and increase what is provided year after year.
The C.U.R.E. Family is stronger together - working with our Community to meet our Families’ needs and provide love and assistance where they are most needed.
The most important thing with the Olympics is to participate. It’s not necessarily the triumph, but the willingness and strive to work hard together!
C.U.R.E. Staff Door Decorating 2024
Congratulations, Remi & Elianna!
We are so excited for our Friends Remi and Elianna! We celebrated their end of chemo in November! Remi joined us with a HUGE crew of friends and family and we celebrated her with her favorite snack: carrots and hummus. Elianna joined us with her parents and her two amazing big brothers. The C.U.R.E. Staff were treated to a delightful rendition of “Dominic the Donkey” by the boys, which we LOVED! It was truly our honor to recognize these Little Warriors and their Families in November!
Spotlight on: Rylie
Meet our Friend, Rylie.
Rylie is an amazing young adult who is known for her quick wit and sense of humor. She was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at age 18 during her Freshman Year of College while playing softball for her college team. Rylie has fought this battle head-on and shows no signs of stopping! She really enjoyed the Survivors’ Day Picnic and loves the chats she’s has with Parent Advocate, Michelle.
Hey, C.U.R.E. Parents:
Did you know we have a private Facebook Group JUST for you? Connect with other parents. Ask questions about treatment, education help and more. Learn from others.
Contact us to learn more!
C.U.R.E. Parents’ Night Out
Skycoasters’ Turkey Bash
Twelve C.U.R.E. Parents attended The Skycoasters Turkey Bash for an evening of music, dancing, silent disco and flashback costumes to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Thank you very much to The Skycoasters for donating some of the tickets so that more of our C.U.R.E. Parents were able to attend this event! We are so grateful!
West Herr Cares!
We are so grateful for our Friends at West Herr Cares! They not only very generously donated 28 turkeys to C.U.R.E. for our Families to enjoy on Thanksgiving, but they’ve donated HUNDREDS of turkeys throughout Western New York the week leading into Thanksgiving! What a tremendous impact you are making on our community! Thank you for your investment in Rochester and our Friends here.
Thank you, Catching Dreams Fishing Charters!
Our C.U.R.E. Kids are kicking off nice weather season with some fishing! We are so grateful to Captain Ned and his team at Catching Dreams Charters, Inc. Thank you for treating our Kiddos to some fun on the water and teaching them about fishing. It can be so therapeutic and we are grateful for your compassion for our Kids. Thank you for letting us be a part of your program!
Resources:
Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarship and Employment Resources:
Children's Cancer Cause is assisting childhood cancer patients, survivors and families by centralizing most national resources that provide scholarships for survivors of childhood cancer or those with particular effects. The site also has resources and advice relating to employment and applying for these scholarships.
Some opportunities require commitment to a childhood cancer advocacy project while in college, while others make you eligible for you just being you. But you do need to apply! Be sure to read the instructions and qualifications very carefully. Apply in plenty of time to get feedback from family, guidance counselors and others.
Cancer for College has provided need-based scholarships to cancer survivors since 1993.
The scholarship application period is November 1 – January 31 each year. Starting November 1, 2024, they’re accepting applications for the 2025-’26 school year.
To learn more, please click the link below or contact CFC at applications@cancerforcollege.org.
YOU can help C.U.R.E. for FREE
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/curekidscancerrochester
Instagram: @curekidscancer_
Twitter: @curekidscancer_
TikTok: @curekidscancer_Write a review about C.U.R.E. on our Facebook Page or on Google.
Write a blog that can be shared on our website.
Contact our Parent Advocate Michelle about doing an Instagram Takeover.
“Like”, Share or Comment on our social media posts.
Research & Advocacy:
Conquer Cancer in Kids:
make childhood cancer research a priority:
We invite our families and supporters to join CNN’s Rene Marsh as she advocates to make childhood cancer research a priority! Sadly, Rene lost her two year old son, Blake, to brain cancer in April 2021. She is now working with CNN and childhood cancer awareness advocates to make a difference!
To review and sign the petition, click the button below.
Petition to the Biden Administration to increase funding for childhood cancer research. This effort was started through awareness from The Ellen Show.
81,090 signatures of 150,000 wanted (as of 11/25/2024)
Learn more about Bill A6430B
Creates the Sickle Cell Disease detection and education program
Sponsored by Hyndman
Bereavement Group
December Bereavement Group will be Wednesday, December 4, 2024
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Rohrbach Brewing Company at 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY
An RSVP is required. If you have any questions, please reach out to our Bereaved Family Advocate, Diane (diane.valentine@curekidscancer.com)
January’s meeting will be at the C.U.R.E. office on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
Did you know? For children who have experienced the death of a sibling from childhood cancer, SuperSibs offers additional mailings through the Grief and Loss Mailing Program.
This program includes...
💛 Grief support and resources specifically for parents
💛 4 mailings per year for two years with activities designed to help SuperSibs to cope with their grief and feelings
💛 A special remembrance on the anniversary of their sibling’s passing
Learn more about this free program for siblings:
Click Here To Check it Out
Molly V’s is SWEET!
We are so very grateful for our friends at Molly V’s Homemade Ice Cream. They participated in our Sprinkle Awareness campaign in September, even hosting friends from the Rochester City Ballet. They generously donated $1,000 to C.U.R.E. to help us further our mission Be sure to check them out all winter long as they will be open with lots of yummy ice cream!
Rochester Fire Department is Amazing!
A HUGE thank you to Lisa Bubel and the Rochester Fire Department for their generous donation to our Recipe for a C.U.R.E. Sunday Brunch. They donated a meet & greet and meal with their Engine. This package raised funds for C.U.R.E. to further our mission. We are so grateful for the continued advocacy of our Friends in the Rochester Fire Department who support the work we do here. This looks like so much fun!
CURE Bears for Hope and Love is spreading cheer!
Lynne & Randy from CURE Bears for Hope and Love sure do know how to make the holidays bright! They stopped by last month with boxes of toys that they knew our C.U.R.E. Kiddos would enjoy! And of course, there were some fluffy squishmallows that made their way too! Thank you CURE Bears for making the holidays extra special and always knowing just our kiddos like for the holidays!
St. Bonaventure ENACTUS masterpiece!
Canvas for a C.U.R.E. is an event created by St. Bonaventure Alumni, Stephanie Dolliver. The event encourages students and members of the St. Bonaventure community to make a $5 donation and then paint a canvas that is given to a C.U.R.E. Kid or sib to brighten their day! We were so thrilled they carried this event on again this year, raising money for C.U.R.E. and creating masterpieces for our Kiddos. Lead by Dr. Todd Palmer and student leaders, the SBU ENACTUS Team participates in and gives back to the community in so many ways. We are humbled to be included again this year!
Addy is at it again!
Our Friend Addy (and her Army of supporters!) continues to keep C.U.R.E. and our Families in their hearts. They raised enough money to purchase 54 Scentsy Buddies and Clips in September to recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! We are so thrilled to be a part of Addy’s advocacy and cannot wait to distribute these sweet smelling buddies to our C.U.R.E. Kids and Sibs! Thank you to Addy’s Army for making a difference, once again!
Gracie’s Pumpkin Patch!
Gracie and her Family worked hard this fall to raise awareness and funds for C.U.R.E.! While raising awareness of childhood cancer during September, Gracie and her family sold pumpkins, cornstalks and more this fall to generate over $1,900 in donations for C.U.R.E.! Thank you so much for thinking of our Families and your hard work raising awareness. You truly are an inspiration to our Community!
Thank you, Landing Strip!
Our friends at The Landing Strip continue to honor Landon Coia and his family with love and dedication. Each football season, they offer a meaningful way for their guests to participate: coloring football helmets for a small donation. These donations are made in memory of Landon, and we are deeply grateful that The Landing Strip contributes them to C.U.R.E. to help further our mission. It is truly an honor to celebrate Landon’s memory in this special way.
Our hats are off to you!
We were truly moved by the incredible generosity of Canandaigua Academy's medical program, which collected hundreds of beanies in memory of former student Dylan Smith. Known for his signature beanie, this thoughtful gesture was a beautiful way to honor Dylan's memory and give back to the community. We are deeply grateful for this kindness and for the opportunity to pay tribute to Dylan in such a meaningful way. Thank you to Breanna for your efforts in coordinating the Beanie Drive and for thinking of C.U.R.E. to receive these hats!
Cuddly Friends for all!
A heartfelt thank you to our friends at Jared the Galleria of Jewelry in Henrietta and Kay Jewelers in Webster for generously donating stuffed bears and puppies to C.U.R.E. We are so appreciative of your customers' thoughtfulness in contributing these toys, which will be distributed at our Holiday Party to C.U.R.E. Kids and Sibs. We also extend our gratitude to our friends at CURE Bears for Hope and Love for their efforts in making sure these donations reached us. Your kindness means the world!
RDI Keeps us full of gratitude!
We would like to extend our deepest thanks to our friends at RDI Diamonds, Inc., who consistently keep our Families in their hearts. When they learned that our Friends at West Herr were generously donating turkeys for Thanksgiving, RDI immediately sprang into action to provide side dish fixings to go with the turkeys for our Families. Thanks to their kindness, C.U.R.E. Families who requested turkeys also received stuffing, vegetables, gravy, and cranberry sauce to complete their Thanksgiving feast. RDI continues to show our families that they are not alone, and we are so grateful for their ongoing support!
Holiday Cheer is here!
Al and Janelle Plumb, Chelsea DePoint and our Friends at Alpco Recycling brought us holiday cheer (and lots of toys and gifts for our C.U.R.E. Kids and Sibs)! These toys will be so helpful during the holidays and beyond. Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for your kindness! Thank you for bringing joy to the hearts of the Children we support and their Families.
Tabs from The Homies!
The Homies are keeping the memory of their dear Friend Dylan alive by saving their can tabs for our “Keeping Tabs on Cancer with Hailey” program. The friends are gathering the can tabs from their friends in college in a friendly contest to see who can collect the most tabs. We can’t wait until they come back in December where we can crown the winner with an exclusive Love Your Melon + C.U.R.E. beanie! It’s a wonderful way to remember their Friend and give back to our Families. Thank you for helping to pay for parking vouchers through your donation!
Toys from a GOLDEN Heart!
A big shoutout to our friends, Evie, who collected and donated toys for the holidays! With the help from her parents, they brought in everything from dinosaurs to playsets to Barbies to Squishmallows (a crowd favorite!). We are so grateful for your kind hearts and for thinking of others during this holiday season.
Thank you Evie & Family!
iSpy with my little eye, some kindhearted Friends!
The McBride Family along with the help from Batavia Middle School, brought us a ton of goodies! They created iSpy kits with waterbottles that are filled with rice along with different time items to find. This is a perfect activity to give to our kiddos who are in treatment at the hospital and to help pass the time.
They also brought us boxes of port pillows to make it more comfortable for our C.U.R.E. Kids while they are going through treatment. Thank you McBride Family & Batavia Middle School for thinking of our kiddos!
Thank you for bringing comfort to others!
Our friends, Sue and Linda, created and sewed over 50 pillow cases for our C.U.R.E. Kids! They picked out wonderful fabrics and designs that are sure to bring smiles to Kiddos’ faces. Thank you Sue and Linda for thinking of our Families and bringing comfort to them during a difficult time. You are making a difference!
Thank you Ladies of the Genetaska Club!
We are so grateful to our Friends at the Genetaska Club! They so kindly put together various craft kits that will be given to C.U.R.E. Families at the holiday party this year. There were lots of details and kits to do, and we are so thankful for their helping hands.
Thank you ladies for all of your hard work and big hearts!
Please give a hand for our Volunteer of the Month….
Crystal Putney!
Crystal is truly one of a kind! She is one of the first to raise her hand whenever we need extra help around our office or at events. Whether it is wrapping gifts at the holidays, putting together kits for our Families, creating gifts for our donors - Crystal and her Family and there to help! Recently, she and her boys were a tremendous help at the Sunday Brunch! They set up and tore down, decorated the venue and stepped in whenever there was a need. We are so grateful for her go-getter attitude and kindness!
Crystal, thank you for being a shining star, we appreciate you and your big heart!
Join our Board of Directors!
We have some Board positions opening up! Are you interested in applying?
The Board meets monthly for 1.5 - 2 hours (Currently the third Wednesday evening of the month from 5:30 - 7:30)
Board members must attend two of the three main fundraisers (5k & Fun Walk, Golf Tournament, Brunch)
Board members are on at least one sub-committee
Board members make a monetary donation for the Board sponsored Live Auction package for the Brunch
Applications can be emailed to:
cureboardapplications@gmail.com
We want to connect!
If you served on the Board of Directors for C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association, we would love to stay connected! Please email Holly Dutcher to connect!
holly.dutcher@curekidscancer.com
PeachSkin Sheets are BACK!
PeachSkin Sheets are the coziest, softest bedsheets… you'll INSTANTLY fall in love, or asleep! Purchase a set now through December 15th and use the code "CURECC1" to get $45 OFF for every set. Not only will you be getting luxury sheets for a discounted price, but $20 per set will be donated back to C.U.R.E.! WHAT A DEAL
Here's how you can order yours today:
Visit the website: https://www.peachskinsheets.com/collections/sheet-sets
Use discount code: CURECC1 at checkout.
Get a discount AND make a difference!
Honor the special Heroes in your life with our annual Holiday Hero program!
It’s easy:
* Make a donation to C.U.R.E. by clicking the button below (or sending a check to our office with “Holiday Heroes” in the memo line)
* Include your special Hero message or ad
* Your Hero will be recognized in print (in the Democrat and Chronicle and The Canandaigua Post) and digitally (the Democrat and Chronicle, The Messenger Post and on our website)
Shop Our Amazon Wish Lists!
Please help us make the Holidays brighter for our Families by shopping our Amazon Wish Lists this Holiday Season. We have split our lists into three different spending categories to make shopping more convenient for you. We are also in need of fun Holiday wrapping paper and Scotch Tape (if that’s more in your comfort zone):
Holiday Light Show!
Be sure to check out the final season of the Holiday Light Show at Victor Hills this year! The Holiday Light Show at Victor Hills Golf Club is a five week long event featuring a drive through holiday light display designed to provide an affordable, family-friendly holiday outing. View the holiday spirit through a magical and colorful lens from the comfort of your own vehicle. a portion of the proceeds will be donated to c.u.r.e.
November 29th & 30th (5PM - Last Reservation 8pm) *Early Bird Special 25% off
December 6th & 7th (5PM - Last Reservation 8pm) * Early Bird Special 25% off
December 12th THRU 15th (5PM - Last Reservation 8pm)
December 17th THRU 24th(5PM - Last Reservation 8:30pm or FRI/SAT 8:45pm)
December 26th, 27th, & 28th(5PM - Last Reservation 8pm)
Event closed on Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day.
Visit us at the ROC Holiday Village!
Hot cocoa with heart! We’re thrilled to be the guest nonprofit host at The Giving Cup on Saturday, December 21st from 4-9p.
Come warm up with a creamy, delicious cup of hot chocolate in The Lodge at Roc Holiday Village. Sip, savor, and support our mission—all in one cozy moment!
Find out more at: rocholidayvillage.com/the-giving-cup
Qualified Charitable Distributions:
To transfer funds from your IRA to C.U.R.E., please follow these step-by-step instructions:
(1) Contact your financial advisor or representative at the financial institution that holds your IRA.
(2) Tell your representative that you wish to make a QCD from your IRA to C.U.R.E.
(3) Request a check made payable to “C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association” and indicate that it is a “qualified charitable distribution from the account of (your name).
(4) For wire transfers, contact request transfer instruction from C.U.R.E.
(5) Tax ID information: C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association Federal Tax ID: 51-0215037
(6) Please contact C.U.R.E. and let us know to expect a payment.
Please note that the maximum QCD is $100,000 per year per person, with married couples with separate IRAs eligible to give up to $200,000 per year. Transfers to donor-advised funds, supporting organizations, private foundations, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable gift annuities do not qualify. The transfer is tax-free and is not included in your adjusted gross income (AGI), thus there is no charitable deduction. A transfer is not subject to AGI limitations on charitable deductions. C.U.R.E. recommends you consult with your estate attorney and/or financial advisor prior to requesting a QCD to C.U.R.E.
LET’S GET TACKY!
It’s time to put on your best (or worst) Holiday/ Christmas/ Hanukkah/ Kwanzaa/ whatever sweater and party! Join us at Jack’s Extra Fancy on December 12th for drinks & fun! The Sweater Contest winner receives $100 prize, courtesy of Jack’s! There will also be raffle tickets & the Wheel of Cheer, so be sure to bring cash.
Date: Thursday, December 12th
Location: Jack’s Extra Fancy, 825 Atlantic Ave
Party Starts: 8p
Gift Basket Raffles Begins: 8:30p
Tacky Sweater Contest Kickoff: 9p
Hope to see you there!
It’s Beanie Season!
The temps are cooling down outside. Be sure you’re prepared by purchasing one of our exclusive Love Your Melon + C.U.R.E. Beanies available in three options!
Become a C.U.R.E. Ambassador!
The Support Doesn’t Stop When Treatment Stops…
Because of YOU and your kindness.
Support our mission year-round by becoming a C.U.R.E. Ambassador! A C.U.R.E. Ambassador is a donor who commits to our mission through a monthly donation of his/her choosing. Whatever level you are comfortable with makes a difference!
Embrace the Difference
Did you know that we partner with Reeds Jewelers on their Embrace the Difference campaign? With the holidays approaching, we hope you’ll consider grabbing a gift from Reeds Jewelers Embrace the Difference Collection and make a difference to our Families (all while giving a beautiful gift!).
Round Up for C.U.R.E.!
We are thrilled to share that we are now part of the Walmart Spark Good program! You can select “C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association” as your charity of choice and round up your purchases! The rounded up change will be donated to C.U.R.E.!
STEP 1: Visit walmart.com/sparkgood and sign in to your Walmart.com account.
STEP 2: Search for a favorite charity.
STEP 3: Once you choose a charity, go to the Round Up box and click "Select this Charity"
STEP 4: Review the FAQs and the Terms of Use.
C.U.R.E. Partners:
You can now return your cans and bottles to Alpco Recycling and Bottle & Can Retrieval Centers! Let them know you’d like to support “C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association” and a donation will be made to us!
Alpco Recycling is located at:
846 Macedon Center Road, Macedon, NY 14502
Bottle & Can Retrieval Centers located at:
509 Spencerport Rd, Rochester
2199 East Henrietta Rd, Rochester
2374 Chili Ave, Rochester
More ways to help:
Hailey and her Family have been saving aluminum can tabs for C.U.R.E. for many years now. The photo is Hailey standing in an oil drum of tabs surrounded by 14 oil drums FILLED with can tabs! They bring the drums to the scrap yard and then donate the proceeds to C.U.R.E. Those proceeds are then applied to the cost of parking vouchers for our Families.
You can bring your can tabs to our office at 200 Westfall Road, 14620 during business hours and we will collect them for Hailey and her Family.
We hope you think of Hailey and her program while you are at family gatherings, picnics and other fun summer activities this summer that may include aluminum cans!
C.U.R.E. has joined the PayPal Giving Fund. Please consider adding us to your account to Shop, Donate and Raise Awareness for our families.
PayPal Giving Fund expands our fundraising reach through direct integration with PayPal, eBay and GoFundMe.
We are so grateful to the community for all of the wonderful donations we receive throughout the year. We could not service all the families we do without this generous support. If you or a community group you belong to is looking for something to do for a charity, please consider donating items from C.U.R.E.’s wish list so that we can continue to provide for our families:
A cure for childhood cancer, blood diseases and brain tumors!
- SQUISHMALLOWS! ALL SIZES! The kids love them!
- Journals for Kids and Teens
- Gift cards for Wegmans, Tops, Wal-Mart, Target and gas cards
- Gift cards for GrubHub, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, Moe’s, Chipotle, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks
- Crafts for young adults and children
- Items for teens or young adults
- Toys (Please look at our Amazon Wish Lists:
Under $20: https://a.co/hlW4hCO
$20 - 50: https://a.co/eHiQcV2
$50+: https://a.co/bVDujCy)
We ask that all items be new and recently purchased. Thank you!