By Lucky Kidd
McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson’s Annual Childhood Cancer Walk took place Sunday afternoon, with a large number of people walking from the Genesis Parking lot to The Plaza where several speakers talked about projects they are involved with and the impact of childhood cancer.
Mayor Tom Brown said the event on Sunday was about everyone who has been touched by childhood cancer.
“Whether it’s the child, the family, the friends, or the physicians, they need us to put their arms around them. We have hope, we’ve made a lot of progress, but there are two words I want to leave you with today – not enough,” Brown said.
Mayor Brown read and presented a proclamation adopted by the McPherson City Commission to Gloria Schroeder, one of the organizers of the event.
Representatives from several organizations took part in the program, including Bullpups Beat Cancer, which has been nationally recognized by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for their fundraising efforts.
McPherson High School junior Kinzie Kaufman said many people know someone who has been impacted by cancer.
“We know we’re part of an amazing community,” Kaufman said, challenging the event to bring a light to the world.
The next fundraiser for Bullpups Beat Cancer is coming up in January.
Other speakers during the event were Gerald Henderson and Family on behalf of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand project, Angie Timson from Women and Children Combating Cancer, Grace Coloff from Giving Hope and Heidi Feyerherm Smith from the Love Chloe Foundation, a Salina based group whose support projects for childhood cancer patients have spread well beyond Kansas.
At the start of the program, Pastor Lynn Scott from First Christian Church shared his own story about a sister he never knew. She died of cancer in 1956 at the age of nine, at a time there was no treatment for it.
Scott also spoke of Gloria Schroeder’s grandson, Kaiden Schroeder, who ultimately lost his battle with leukemia.
“He was a person of great strength and great courage like many of the people we remember today.” Pastor Scott said, calling this connection something that made Sunday’s event very personal for him.
