Amazing News!
Announcing our New Charitable Partner: The Children's Cancer Center
As many of you know, not long after launching Knots Apparel Co with Brian, I moved from Minneapolis down to Tampa. While trying to immerse myself in the community down here, I stumbled across the Children’s Cancer Center (childrenscancercenter.org) at a fun Children’s Fashion Show in downtown St. Pete! We had been looking for a third charitable partner and often get solicitations from admirable charities across the country. However, we wanted to partner with someone in Tampa and nothing had felt quite right. Yet, that evening, while standing in an open atrium full of 6-year-olds dressed like they were 25, I was introduced to the organization that we are now launching as our third charitable partner!
That night, I learned about the CCC’s inspiring mission to bring back confidence, joy, and some element of normalcy for children’s cancer patients in the Tampa area. Director Patty O’Leary and Assistant Development Director Julien Borbon, explained the 20+ programs that the Center offers to facilitate the financial, educational, and emotional well-being for over 900 families afflicted with Cancer or Chronic Blood Disorders. There is technically no medical treatment offered by the Children’s Cancer Center. However, what they do offer is of equal impact.
In a nutshell, the ultimate goal of the Children’s Cancer Center is to allow for these kids, to feel like kids again. Not like patients or experiments, which can so often happen. There are game nights, music and art programs, sporting event participation, and action packed summer camps. But it’s not all fun and games for these kids. The Center also offers regular tutoring so that they don’t fall too far behind in their studies. Further, the center provides support to the rest of the family whose lives are also turned upside-down! Specialized councilors provide guidance on financial aid options, situational coaching, and programs for siblings. They even offer grocery shopping and healthy food programs for the hectic pace of life of these families.
One of the more moving experiences thus far with the Center was attending their Annual Scholarship Dinner. That night, over $60,000 was given to kids who have fought through their cancer battles and still earned their acceptances into college. As part of the program, each kid had written an essay about their experience. There were incredible stories of toughness, grit, and commitment. But, to my amazement, every one of these students also had appreciation and gratitude for their experience and the people in it. They all held such an emphatic and contagious positive outlook on the future, that you could not help standing to cheer them on! With this collection of traits and perspective on life, I left doubting there could be a more well-suited group of kids to take-on the rigors of college and the tumultuous “real-world” we live in today. Truly inspiring!
Knots Apparel Co could not be more excited to announce the Children’s Cancer Center as of third Charitable partner! We will be launching new products that reflect our experiences of the stories and mission of the Center. 50% of our profits from these products will be donated back to assist in their great cause! Please learn more about the Children’s Cancer Center and their amazing mission below: