2020 Holiday Heroes
On Tuesday, we had our annual holiday party for hero families who are in active treatment. This year, like everything, was a different. So, we turned our party into a Holiday Drive-Through. We don’t know who was more excited to celebrate — Connor’s Heroes or our wonderful families?!
Celia, Erin, and Ceci set up a holiday party outside with lights and incredible balloon decorations. Cars started rolling in and continued throughout the day. We loaded up a family with gifts for each hero and their siblings, a Holiday Fun Pack (filled with everything they needed for a driving tour of Tacky Lights in Richmond) gift certificates for a pizza dinner at Mellow Mushroom, and cake pops baked by a small business owned by a hero mom.
Thank you to all of our wonderful partners who made this holiday season so special for our hero families!
• MassMutual employees’ donations allowed Connor’s Heroes to individually pick out a gift for each hero and sibling who attended.
• The Richmond Christmas Mother grant helped provide our Holiday Family Fun Packs.
• Mellow Mushroom Midlothian generously donated the gift certificates for a yummy pizza dinner.
• Shaqueenia at QT desirez baked the delicious cake pops.
• Peach Perrychute for the balloon directions which lead the way to our parking lot party.
• Our generous supporters who donated enough so we could provide financial support to EVERY family who has a child in active treatment. 94 families received a $250 VISA gift card thanks to our Holiday Heroes Fund.
Thank you to our board members who helped us pass out holiday goodies to our hero families. Pictured with Celia are Carrie and Gwendolyn.
From 2019, our Holiday Open House and Tacky Lights Tour. Thanks to your generous donations throughout the years, we will make sure every child has a happy holiday!
Fall Photo Session
Longtime friend of Connor’s Heroes, Kristin Seward donated her time and talents as a photographer to give our hero families a special keepsake. Realizing families might want a family photo for their holiday cards, but may not feel safe going to a studio, Kristin came up with the brilliant idea for a pop-up photography session. We scheduled socially distanced photo sessions in beautiful Bryan Park. We all treasure a beautiful portrait of our family. To a family who has a child in treatment for cancer, a family photo is even more special.
Thanks Kristin for being our hero! Scroll through the gallery of photos for a sneak peek at these special portraits!
📸 Credit: Kristin Seward Photography
Kristin Seward is one of many local businesses who support Connor’s Heroes by donating their services and products. Please thank them by supporting their business.
Today's Helping Hero: Dominion Chiropractic Clinic
Dr. Bradley Richmond at Dominion Chiropractic Clinic loves to provide care to our hero families. We are grateful for our continued partnership with their team and truly appreciate their dedication to helping our families throughout their cancer journey! If you work for a company and feel called to donate your services to our hero families, please email admin@connorsheroes.org.
Dominion Chiropractic Clinic is one of many local businesses who support Connor’s Heroes by donating their services and products. Please thank them by supporting their business.
Today's Helping Hero: Jill's Blankets
Jill’s Blankets is a local nonprofit created in memory of Jill Ward. Jill loved making blankets for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. Her friends are carrying on Jill’s legacy by making warm and comfy fleece blankets. We call on Jill’s Blankets when we need a supply of blankets for our childhood cancer heroes. It is always a treat when the crew from Jill’s Blankets shows up at our office with an armful of blankets. We are grateful for their volunteerism.
Emmett's iPad
Because of your donations, every childhood cancer hero (no matter what age!) will discover an iPad in their Heroes Bag and Backpack. Emmett is not even one year old. He was born in March 2020. Four months later, in July, he was diagnosed with a rare syndrome. This little fighter spent his first year in this world on the adult Bone Marrow Transplant Unit in treatment. Thankfully, he was not alone. Emmett and his mom stayed in touch with the family using the iPad in Emmett’s Connor’s Heroes backpack. Emmett used the iPad to stream his favorite programs, passing the long days in the hospital. He played peek-a-poo from his hospital bed with his older sister, Breyanna, who was at home. His other sister, Eden, was a hero too. She was the donor for her baby brother.
The Heroes Bag and Backpack was our first program when Connor’s Heroes started. Today, Emmett’s Heroes Bag and Backpack brought joy to him during a tough time. Follow our timeline from the first Heroes Bag and Backpack given to a child in the hospital to the array of support we offer families today.
Today's Helping Hero: ESE Masks
ESE Masks is a non-profit organization created by three high school students (Emily, Shraddha, and Estelle). These teen titans sewed face masks and sold them over the spring and summer. They took their profits and turned them into a very generous donation to support our childhood cancer heroes. Kids helping kids! ESE Masks is another reminder of how easy it is for YOU to be a hero to a local child with cancer.
We have many more Helping Heroes. Subscribe to our enewsletter, Heroes & Hope, to learn about our childhood cancer hero community and the families who are part of Connor’s Heroes.
September's Giving Moments
Thank you for making Childhood Cancer Awareness Month so special for all of our heroes — no matter where they are in their cancer journey.
Cancer hasn’t stopped during the pandemic and neither has Connor’s Heroes. Scroll down to see how you were hero for numerous families during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. There is still more to be done for the remainder of the year. You can make sure giving moments continue throughout the year. Donate to Connor’s Heroes. You can give a single gift or give every month.
Today's Helping Hero: Once Upon A Child
Once Upon A Child raised close to $3,000 — during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by donating a portion of their Friday sales to Connor’s Heroes. The store and their customers’ generosity will be a lifeline to families who rely on Connor’s Heroes for support. We can provide them with gift cards for groceries and gas and other surprises to get our childhood cancer heroes through another day of treatment.
Dinner From Burger Bach
Thanks to your generous donations, Connor’s Heroes treated 15 families to a delicious dinner from Burger Bach. Throughout the pandemic, Connor’s Heroes has been creative on how we bring moments of joy to our hero families. It might seem like a simple burger, but the time they spent eating dinner together is what makes us smile! Thanks for being a part of our community of heroes and allowing us to provide hope guidance and support to our childhood cancer families (in new and exciting ways!!)
During September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, select Burger Bach locations will donate a dollar for every speciality burger ordered. Find out all the details, including ordering online, at www.connorsheroes.org/2020-giving-bach
Giving Bach at Burger Bach Locations
In honor of September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, select Burger Bach locations will donate $1 for every Burger Of The Month ordered. The September Burger of the Month is the Pizza Chick- Organic chicken, basil pesto aioli, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, tomato and garlic aioli. The fundraiser is at the Burger Bach locations:
Burger Bach – Midlothian: 101 Heaths Way Road Midlothian, VA 23114
Burger Bach – Short Pump: Old Brick Rd, Glen Allen, VA
Burger Bach – Charlottesville: 2050 Bond Street, Charlottesville, VA
Burger Bach – Durham: 737 9th St, Durham NC
Visit theburgerbach.com to place your order online.