Like the Tale of a Starfish

Every year, 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Every year, 15,000 parents will hear the life-changing words ‘your child has cancer’ and will face years of physical, emotional, and financial challenges. It’s a problem that families in your community will face until there is a cure or a miracle.  

The demand for financial support continues to grow each year. We accept applications for financial support monthly, with a monthly budget allocated. But childhood cancer doesn’t abide by a budget or an application window. Today, we can only keep the application window open for less than 24 hours before we have filled our budget for the month.  The reality is that there are more families who need our help now than ever before. 

There’s a solution right here, reading these very words. It’s you. No matter how big or small, every dollar counts.

Take the Starfish Story: There was once an old man, walking on the beach following a night of heavy storms and crashing waves. Ahead of him, he spots a young woman picking up starfish from the sandy beach and gently placing them back in the water. After a while, he asks the girl what’s she doing. The young woman pauses, looks up at the old man, and says, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I do not throw them in, the starfish will die.” The old man, with an incredulous look on his face, asks the young girl, “Do you not realize that there are many miles of beach, and thousands of starfish on the shore? Surely you cannot help them all.” The young woman listens politely, nods at the old man, then bends down and picked up another starfish, gently placing it in the waves creeping in. As the starfish returned to sea, the woman turns around and replies, “Yes, but I made all the difference for that one.” 

It doesn’t take billions to solve the financial crisis for childhood cancer (although if anyone knows Taylor Swift, feel free to connect us 😊). What it really takes is you, me, and all those who care about childhood cancer. It starts with one family, one mortgage payment, one tank of gas, one full grocery cart, one utility bill to keep the house warm. Your generosity will make a difference, one family at a time.

I invite you to see yourself in the Starfish Story and consider how you can make an impact on kids with cancer and their families. Instead of asking yourself “How can I help 15,000 newly diagnosed families?” reframe it as “How can I help one newly diagnosed family?” Make a $25 monthly gift as part of our Pinky Partner program. Donate $200 to send a gas and grocery gift card to a newly diagnosed family. Put Pinky Swear Foundation in your estate plans.

Whatever you choose, I pinky swear promise you will be changing the life of a child with cancer and their family. And that makes all the difference.