By Taylor M. Coffman
Herald Correspondent
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and this coming September Cookies for Kids’ Cancer will be continuing their mission to raise money and awareness with their 2nd annual Central Florida Bake Sale.
Cookies for Kids Cancer is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding new and less-toxic treatments for fighting pediatric cancer. The organization was founded in 2007, after 2-year-old Liam Witt was diagnosed with cancer and his parents, Gretchen and Larry, were faced with ineffective treatments and insufficient funding.
With the help of some volunteers, they organized a massive bake-a-thon that raised $420,000 and lit the spark for a nationwide organization that has since reached thousands of people - many of whom have had their lives personally affected by childhood cancer - people like community outreach manager Beth Robertson, who lost her 4-year-old grandson to leukemia.
In the last 18 years, Cookies for Kids Cancer has hosted runs, bike races, and - most fittingly - bake sales to raise over $23 million toward over 140 research projects and 60 new treatments and trials to battle childhood cancer. Last year, the Central Florida chapter of Cookies for Kids Cancer held its inaugural bake sale, raising over $12,000 with 12 participating locations. This year, Robertson says that they hope to increase their funds raised exponentially, with double the locations and added help from 40 new participating businesses, along with local clubs and individuals.
The 2nd Annual Cookies for Kids Cancer Central Florida Bake Sale will be held from September 5 to 7, with events at Texas Roadhouse in Sanford held on Sept. 5, hosted by Ladies 327, Inc., followed by the main event at Dee’s Brothers Brewery on Sept. 6.
Other participating businesses include Rock and Brews in Oviedo, Vahallan Esports in Altamonte Springs, Rosso Coffee in Longwood, Ritz Theatre in Sanford, and the Comfort Inn in Sanford. Times and details will be decided as the bake sale draws nearer, but Cookies for Kids Cancer is hoping to draw as much awareness to the event as possible. Updates will be available through the “Cookies for Kids Cancer - Florida” Facebook page.
Aside from raising funds for research, the other goal of the September Bake Sale is to raise awareness surrounding childhood cancer. Cookies for Kids Cancer will be looking for support throughout the entirety of September, with some bake sales extending through the end of the month. A second campaign called “Go Gold For Kids” will also be accepting donations for a gold ribbon pin in support of pediatric cancer research. If you can’t donate money, they’re also accepting baked goods for the bake sales that will be happening throughout Central Florida, and even the smallest bit of support helps.
“This year we hope to not only have businesses join in but clubs, individuals and anyone willing to be a Good Cookie,” said Robertson, regarding the upcoming bake sale. “It’s really a together thing, and there’s no wrong way to support us. Childhood cancer doesn’t stop, and we can’t stop either.”
If you’re interested in helping out before September, Cookies for Kids Cancer is open for donations and volunteering year-round. Anyone interested in getting involved, participating in the bake sale, hosting their own bake sale, or hosting another event to raise funds for childhood cancer research should reach out to Beth Robertson at [email protected] or 609-505-3643.
More information on how to get involved is available at https://cookiesforkidscancer.org/, or you can follow Cookies for Kids Cancer on Instagram, Threads, X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
