Ellis Tops $12K In Cancer Fight Pledges

March 13, 2012

Bermuda teenager Ellis Cooper has raised his St. Baldrick’s fundraising goal to $14,000 after more than a hundred generous people pushed him over the $12,000 mark with three days to go before the big shave on Friday [Mar.17].

Ellis wants to stand in solidarity with Bermudian children like Nahge O’Brien who are fighting cancer and typically lose their hair during treatment.

Thirteen-year-old Ellis [pictured] is getting his head shaved to support kid’s cancer research at Friday’s St. Baldrick’s fundraiser at BAA gym. Originally he had hoped to raise $10,000.

CedarBridge Academy student Nahge is combating Acute Myeloid Leukemia [AML] and will soon have a cord stem cell transplant.

Nahge was diagnosed with leukemia in December, 2010. He went away to receive treatment including chemotherapy and bone marrow transfer.

Nahge returned to school in September, 2011, and seemed to be doing well – however a few weeks later his cancer returned. Ellis [pictured at top] hopes to raise $12,000 to help kids like Nahge during the St. Baldrick’s fund raiser.

In December more than $2,500 was raised for Nahge O’Brien by CedarBridge students who organised a “Grub Day” on his behalf at the senior secondary school. And the recent Bermuda Sloop Foundation’s Pirates Of Bermuda fund-raising event pledged $12,500 to his help his family with mounting medical expenses.  The 15-year-old is a student crew member of the Foundation’s sail training vessel “Spirit Of Bermuda.”

Nahge O’Brien at the helm of the “Spirit of Bermuda”

Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation partners with organizations around the world to fund childhood cancer research.

To support Ellis on behalf of these very special kids, please click here here.

If you wish to have the funds remain focused in Bermuda, donations can be made directly to the local cancer support charity PALS.

Funds donated to PALS are channeled to fund childhood cancer research, but with a decided preference for research conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Over the years, PALS has worked hard to establish a strong relationship with the Dana-Farber researchers, treating doctors, and cancer care administrators to ensure that when Bermudians need cancer-related medical treatment, Dana-Farber will be there for them.

PALS donations also go to the Childhood Cancer Fund, which is used to ease the financial burden on families living in Bermuda and caring for a child with cancer.

The Fund pays for medical supplies, equipment, care, and treatment-related travel that isn’t covered by insurance.

Funds can be paid to PALS in three ways

  • By making a donation here you can select “St.  Baldrick’s head shaving” from the list and be sure to enter “Ellis Cooper” in the box provided.
  • By giving making a cheque out to PALS. By indicating on the cheque the funds are for St. Baldricks and add Ellis’ name that will ensure the funds are directed appropriately.
  • Or you can also contact Ellis’ father, Somers Cooper, here and he will accept donations on his son’s behalf which will be forwarded to PALS.

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