Colonies “Kids Helping Kids” Swim-a-Thon
Swimmers from the Colonies are participating in the 20th Annual "Kids Helping Kids" Swim-a-Thon this weekend. This year, the pledges the swimmer collect will be donated to Connor's Heroes in honor of Wilson "Biggie" Braun. Biggie is an amazing 2-year old who is battling neuroblastoma. Anyone interested in contributing may click here to sponsor a swimmer or make a general donation.
Connor featured in Boomer Magazine
Richmond's own, Lisa Schaffner, wrote a great article about Connor and Connor's Heroes for Boomer Magazine. You can read the article online here.
Hike for Heroes - The Grand Canyon!
On May 27, brothers Andrew and Mark Elmore and Jim and Scot Sohr undertook a challenge most would never even consider: hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim and back in only 2 days!! But that wasn't enough for them . . . they also wanted to raise money for families undertaking their own personal challenge: battling childhood cancer.
With the help of friends, family, and strangers, Andrew, Mark, Jim, and Scott have raised almost $10,000 to help Connor's Heroes Conquer Childhood Cancer! It's not too late to help them reach their goal. Just Click here to make a donation using our secure server.
Connor's Heroes is so incredibly grateful to the Sohr and Elmore brothers for undertaking an incredible challenge, meeting it head on, and using it to help children with cancer in central Virginia. They are our heroes!!
You can Be a Hero too! Devise your own hike (or run, walk, triathlon, etc.) and let us know you'd like to create a personal fundraising challenge. We'll help you get started. It's fun and easy and so very rewarding!
Connor featured in West End’s Best Magazine
West End's Best Magazine features a great follow-up story on Connor Goodwin, namesake and inspiration for Connor's Heroes. Click here to read the article online.
Tommy Hilfiger Supports Connor’s Heroes
Tommy Hilfiger and longtime friend and clothing designer, Alex Garfield, talk about how important it is for everyone to "Be a Hero" to a kid with cancer.
The video also features the original song, written by Justin Laughter of Silly Bus, entitled "Heroes and Angels." We're proud to be the first ones to showcase this amazing song that talks about childhood cancer. To learn more about Richmond's amazing band, Silly Bus, visit their website at www.sillybus.net
During this season of giving, we hope that Tommy, Alex and Connor inspire you to BE A HERO!
You may donate online using the blue tab on the right or send your checks payable to "Connor's Heroes" to P.O. Box 2536, Midlothian, VA 23113.
Barnes and Noble Book Drive for Connor’s Heroes
During November and December, Barnes and Noble stores at Commonwealth Centre, Libbie Place and Short Pump will be collecting books for Connor's Heroes. The books we receive will be given to children and teens diagnosed with cancer in their Heroes Backpack and to children and teens who have a bone marrow transplant. Books will also be placed in the Room of Possibilities on the bone marrow transplant unit at the VCU Massey Cancer Center for use by parents and siblings of the pediatric patients.
Many thanks to Barnes and Noble for supporting our Heroes Bags and Backpacks and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit programs!
A great big thank you to everyone who already have donated books and those who continue to donate throughout the month of December! You are a hero!
Room of Possibilities Open House
Connor’s Heroes presents a Room of Possibilities on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the VCU Massey Cancer Center. The room was created in order to provide a comforting and healing room for bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients and families. Before Connor’s Heroes created the Room of Possibilities, patients and families were limited to the patient’s room for visiting and passing time. This new room offers a desktop and laptop computer, large screen television and DVD player, Wii game system, board games, books, and arts and crafts supplies.
Connor’s Heroes is excited to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the VCU Massey Cancer Center’s Bone Marrow Transplant Program this year. As an NCI-designated cancer center, the program is nationally recognized for leadership, and its Center of Excellence status has resulted in more than doubling the number of transplants over four years. A National Marrow Donor Program transplant center and a Blue Distinction Center, Massey’s program boasts strong clinical experience and exceptional patient outcomes.
An Open House and 20th Anniversary Celebration will be held on November 20 at the VCU Massey Cancer Center’s Goodwin Research Lab, 401 College Street, Richmond, VA from 2-4 pm, with special remarks at 3:00. Tours of the Room of Possibilities will occur between 2-2:45 and 3:30-4:00. To RSVP for the event, please call (804) 828-1291.
PJ Gaier Memorial Golf Tournament Raises Over $20,000 for Connor’s Heroes
On Monday, October 5, 32 golfers hit the links at Stonehenge Country Club in Midlothian for a golf tournament with a twist. Each golfer was asked to raise $500 prior to the event using personal fundraising pages. Each golfer also came prepared to play 36 holes of golf; the first 18 holes would be walking! Walking the course was specifically designed to honor PJ Gaier, who died in 2004 while training for a triathlon that benefited The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. PJ alone raised more than $10,500 to help find a cure. “PJ was a true inspiration to everyone who met him,” said former business partner and long-time friend, David Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse was the driving force behind the golf tournament, and had been feeling the need to create an event to honor his friend for quite some time. He and his family also had become involved with Connor’s Heroes as volunteers. Says Rittenhouse, “This seemed like the perfect opportunity to honor PJ and to continue his legacy by raising money for childhood cancer.”
This first annual golf tournament raised over $20,000 for Connor’s Heroes. Not only did many golfers raise more than the required $500, but golfers also bid on silent auction items and made personal donations. Golfers enjoyed fabulous food prepared and served by Gibson’s Grill and its owner, Johnny Giavos. Giavos and his restaurants have supported Connor’s Heroes’ golf tournaments for several years. Other key sponsors included local companies BEX Logistics and BagBoy. BEX is the courier company Mr. Gaier originally started on Cary St. in 1987 and Bagboy donated new push carts for the walking round. BagBoy is widely recognized as a leader in the walking cart business.
Healing Playroom on BMT Unit almost complete!
With the help of many dedicated craftsmen and women and the guidance of Barbara Hess, with a little help from Jamie's spirit, the Connor's Heroes Healing Playroom is almost complete! Before this room, patients on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the VCU Massey Cancer Center had nowhere to go except their hospital room. With a minimum stay of 3-4 weeks, that can get pretty confining and downright boring! This room will have comfy furniture, computers, television, video and board games, arts and crafts supplies and much more to make a patient's stay just a little more enjoyable.
Many thanks to the doctors and staff on the Unit for their constant support of this project. We will have a grand opening celebration in September in conjunction with National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but we expect patients to be able to start using the room in the next couple weeks.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
We need volunteers to help assemble our Heroes Bags and Backpacks this Saturday, June 27 from 10-12 at U-Turn Sports Performance Facility. We also are looking for some volunteers to deliver the bags and backpacks to childhood cancer patients at the Nelson Clinic at VCU Children's Medical Center to celebrate "Christmas in July." We will be at the clinic on July 9, 17, 20, and 28 from 9-12 am. If you are interested in volunteering, please click the "I want to volunteer" button on this website. Thanks for being a hero!