This year we are walking to honor Sara Josephine "Posey" Raish. In June 2021, Posey was diagnosed with B Cell ALL with CNS 3 and has been in the care of Dr. Dreyer and her team at Texas Children's Hospital ever since. Over the past year of intensive treatment, Posey has gone from a toddler to a little girl and recently celebrated her third birthday. Posey has just moved into maintenance and can't wait to start pre-school and dance class, and make a bunch of new friends!  Team Posey's Parade is so excited to be walking for Candlelighters this year!

Candlelighters is an organization that serves children with cancer and their families receiving treatment in the Texas Medical Center and provides all of its services and programs at NO COST to these families. Monies raised from the Fun Walk help fund all of Candlelighters programs and services for childhood cancer families, including Candlelighters Camp CLIFF – our annual family camp for children with cancer as well as their siblings and parents - because one day, cancer will be gone, but families will be here forever.

Here's how you can help: 

1. Register for the Fun Walk by clicking the blue button at the top of this page that says "Join Team" and partner with me to raise vital funds for Candlelighters and childhood cancer families
   
2. Make a donation – even $15 helps by paying for one day of parking for a Candlelighters family!
3. Share about the Fun Walk with your family and friends and ask that they join you on Walk Day – Saturday, September 10, 2022 – and walk no matter where you are in Houston, or beyond! We’ll all be walking together! This year, we're challenging you to take 4,435 steps on Walk Day (about 2 miles) - each step represents a Candlelighters family - a family who Candlelighters has provided support for during and after their child's cancer treatment; support for the child with cancer, the parents, and their siblings!

Here's what Fun Walk donations will be used toward this year:

1. Hospital Parking Assistance - Candlelighters has still been able to provide hospital parking financial assistance to families digitally

2. Emotional Support - families more than ever before are nervous to leave their homes, feeling isolated, being torn apart (thanks to hospital visitor restrictions) and we've been ramping up all our peer-to-peer support efforts. Our weekly support group meetings have grown, and Candlelighters Parent Consultants (staff who are also parents of childhood cancer survivors) are working around the clock to touch base and check-in with our families and their needs. 

3. Gas Cards & Grocery Cards - these have been Candlelighters top request throughout the COVID-19 crisis as families more than ever are strapped for basic needs thanks to furloughs and layoffs. 

4. Memorial Funds - cancer hasn't quit unfortunately. Children are still being diagnosed and gaining their angel wings. Candlelighters provides financial assistance for families to hold memorial services for their children.

5. Bell Ringing in a Box - Due to hospital restrictions, bell ringing celebrations (signifying the end of cancer treatment!) are not being allowed in the hospitals. Candlelighters is helping families celebrate their cancer survivor and this tremendous milestone with celebratory supplies for their bell ringing ceremony at home with their loved ones.

6. Camp CLIFF - Candlelighters has held their annual family camp, Camp CLIFF, virtually the past two years, providing a weekend full of fun for the whole family at home. They are still in discussion with our Board of Directors (including pediatric oncologists) over this year's camping decision. Stay tuned! But donations will allow Candlelighters to host whatever camp we can safely - whether in person or virtual camp is a life-changing experience for our childhood cancer families.

Thank you for supporting our Team efforts for this amazing organization. Whatever you can give, thank you for helping all the children with cancer and their families that Candlelighters serves!

We hope to see you there!