| | Published December 14th, 2016
| Kids Sell Cookies for Cancer Research
| | | By Cathy Tyson |  | | Kristen Beckwith, in back, helps neighborhood kids with their cookie sale. Photo Cathy Tyson |
Who knew a one-day-only neighborhood cookie sale could raise $3,209.73 and counting, for pediatric cancer research?
Donations are still coming in, says one of the thrilled organizers, Moraga's Kristen Beckwith, the day after the sale - Thanksgiving. She reports roughly $1,000 in actual cookie sales and over $2,000 in donations at the moment.
The Beckwith kids, along with neighborhood pals, were making the most of sale day, enthusiastically encouraging drivers on their quiet residential street to pull over and support the cause. Any cookies not sold by the end of the day went to doctors, nurses and staff at several local hospitals along with fire departments and police the following morning.
Beckwith, a busy mother of four, has been actively supporting local hospitals for years with friend and fellow mom Lisa Anderson through cookie deliveries to spread cheer to families with sick kids as well as to the doctors and nurses taking care of them on Thanksgiving, along with fundraising efforts for "Cookies for Kids' Cancer." Last year they delivered almost 7,000 Grateful Cookies to hospitals.
This year they wanted to do even more, so they hosted epic cookie sales in Lafayette and Moraga to raise money for the non-profit organization.
Beckwith and husband Paul Beckwith have four kids close in age, two being a set of twins, all who have had serious health issues. Looking to spread some holiday cheer, "and teach my kids the importance of gratitude and helping others in need" they partnered with Anderson five years ago and rallied friends and neighbors to contribute cookies, that were sold on November 23 with every tax-deductible dollar going to the nonprofit organization which funds pediatric cancer research. Through Dec. 31, all donations will be matched, up to $250,000 thanks to a very generous gift.
Beckwith says she has so much to be thankful for. She gets emotional talking about the Thanksgiving her family spent in the hospital when son Jake was very ill and nurses and doctors brought a Thanksgiving meal for their family to enjoy together. She knew then that she wanted to contribute to that Thanksgiving table the following year.
Less than four percent of cancer research funding is directed toward pediatric cancer issues, the number one cause of death of children in the U.S. A couple who sadly lost their young son to cancer started Cookies for Kids' Cancer in 2008 to support research for safer, more effective treatments. For more information, visit www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/fundraiser/gratefulcookies.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA