Students from the Brownwood FFA and the Brownwood Lionettes have joined together in hopes of “Kicking Children’s Cancer” and will be handing out gold ribbon stickers (representing the symbol for childhood cancer) as well as passing their boots during the 4th quarter for Friday’s Brownwood Lions football game to gather donations for the cause. They will also be selling bracelets with the slogan on them to further raise funds.

All proceeds go the Hope from the Heart, a Brown County organization which provides a support network for parents and children affected by childhood cancer in the Brownwood area.  All childhood cancer patients in Brown County have to travel for their treatment, and often have to stay for weeks at time in the hospital or close by, which can place a huge financial burden on families – even those with insurance.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so in honor of this fact, the students of Brownwood High School will recognize childhood cancer survivors who are students of Brownwood schools prior to Friday’s kickoff.  They will do this as they assist the student council in presenting student representatives from Sweetwater with a gift of friendship and good sportsmanship at center field.

Maci Smith, Daughter of Cody and Chris Smith, is a 7th grader at Brownwood Middle School.  Her father, Cody, is the construction trades teacher at Brownwood High School.  Maci has been cancer free for 7 years.  Carlee Richardson, daughter of Michael and Sandra Richardson, is a 4th grader at Coggin Elementary.  Her mother, Sandra, is the Director of Career and Technical Education and middle school assistant principal.   Carlee has been cancer free for 2 years.  Abby Hubbard, daughter of Dr. Jason Hubbard & wife Shawntay of Brownwood and Amy Reasons of San Antonio, is a sophomore at Brownwood High School.  Abby was diagnosed in July of 2009 and now is cancer free.

The Brownwood Lions football team will also be adding gold to their uniforms Friday to recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

More than 13,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in the U.S.  Every day, 46 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer.  Twenty percent of those children do not survive.  Currently, only 4% of national cancer research funding is dedicated to childhood cancer.  Half of all chemotherapies used for childhood cancer are at least 25 years old.  In the past 20 years, only one new drug has been expressly developed for treating childhood cancer.  The loss of child to cancer is one of the worst tragedies a family can face.  Each death means the loss of an entire lifetime.

Pictured above are members of the BHS Lionettes and Future Farmers of America, (back row) Alex Hetzel, Sloan Maultsby, Ember Threet, Bethany Pittman, (front row) Jordyn Senkirik, Erin Collier, and Abby Day, along with their teacher Mitzi Cockerham.