Cancer Kids First - Provides Toys & Books To Kids With Cancer
- Deb Carr
- Jul 4, 2021
- 2 min read
Cancer Kids First (CKF) is a youth-led, 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation dedicated to giving children with cancer a normal childhood through toy and book contributions, cards to cheer up patients, and care packages for those who are not currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The organisation also shared a cancer-specific colouring book with a number of hospitals; the colouring book is packed of inspiring colouring pages created by volunteers.
Cancer Kids First has provided over 4,000 toys/books, delivered over 15,000 cards/crafts to paediatric cancer patients, and reached over 1 million people since its inception - and they are only getting started! The charity not only helps paediatric cancer patients, but it also brings together young people from all around the world to change lives for the better.
CKF has already aided 50 paediatric cancer hospitals across the United States, as well as collaborating with a number of schools, libraries, and businesses. CKF chapters have been founded all over the world, with 60 chapters in the United States and a few in Canada, Mexico, and Guam!
Cancer Kids First has grown to include around 17,000 volunteers in 27 different countries across six of the seven continents, including India, Ukraine, and Germany. They have also been featured in MEDIUM by AuthorityMagazine and ThriveGlobal.
Olivia Zhang, the creator of Cancer Kids First, is responsible for the organisation's success. Olivia was able to start this non-profit at the age of 14 in the hopes of improving the childhoods of cancer patients after losing both her grandfather and an elementary school teacher to cancer. These tragic circumstances prompted her to start raising money for their medical care, as well as cancer research in general, and eventually to form CKF in their honour. CKF's founder and volunteers now devote their lives to assisting children who are afflicted with this condition!
CKF have many more events planned for the future. Some of the previous events have provided fantastic opportunity for both paediatric cancer patients and volunteers! Virtual movie nights hosted by Cancer Kids First have been tremendously popular in the past year, particularly CKF's Kiss and Cry Movie Night with a special meet and greet Q&A with actress Sarah Fisher. The charity were also able to arrange a virtual shadowing session with Dr. Jasmine Smith (a paediatric hematology/oncology fellow physician) from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In addition, through its non-profit, CKF has been able to collaborate with a number of organisations and other non-profits, like Panda Express, ManisaCases, and many more, in order to raise awareness and funds for paediatric cancer sufferers.