By Natalie Van Hoozer

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so all of us at NNCCF are gearing up for an action-packed, fun month of advocacy. Here are some of our upcoming events and projects:

“Childhood Cancer Awareness Month”:

The month of September is a nationally recognized time for special attention to be focused on children who have fought cancer, children who are currently fighting cancer, and those children’s’ families. It is also a time to rally support for new research initiatives, new donations, and new projects to support the childhood cancer cause. September is also called “Gold Ribbon Month” because the gold ribbon is the nationally recognized symbol of childhood cancer.

The “Know the Gold” Campaign:

This awareness and fundraising campaign will last from September 1, 2015, to January 31, 2016. You will see NNCCF displaying and distributing gold ribbons and different gold-ribbon related items to spread information about childhood cancer and promote the gold ribbon as a symbol of childhood cancer. September 1 initiates the campaign, and it ends on January 31 with a pledge drive!

NNCCF’s “Tournament of Hope”:

Our golf tournament called the “Tournament of Hope” will be happening on September 21, 2015 at Montreux Golf and Country Club. This is one of our largest events of the year. If you are interested in participating in the tournament, view sponsorship opportunities here.

The tournament also features a reception afterwards, where guests are able to hear inspiring stories from NNCCF families and other community members.

Our Coffee Club, “Coffee with a Heart”:

An established program here at NNCCF, our “Coffee with a Heart” program works with Blind Dog Coffee, a local coffee company. The owner of Blind Dog Coffee, Mark Berry, is a childhood cancer survivor himself. He was diagnosed with cancer at age two that left him almost completely blind. Mark lost one eye and part of his other eye due to his cancer treatment as a child, but his personal challenges have not stopped him from giving back to others. He works through his company Blind Dog Coffee Roasters to help children in the fight against cancer and their families.

This September we hope to grow this amazing program! If you become part of our NNCCF Coffee Club, you will get two fresh 1-pound bags of coffee per month from Blind Dog Coffee Roasters while simultaneously giving to a local family in need. Please help us remind people about this wonderful program! View details here.

If you would like to volunteer/participate in these September events, or have any questions about Childhood Cancer Awareness Month or our upcoming events and programs, please contact us, we would love to hear from you!

Use the hashtag #KnowtheGold on social media when posting about Childhood Cancer Awareness month so we can stay updated!