The Valerie Fund Blog

The 26^th Annual Thanksgiving Ball Gala will be held on Friday, November 17^th, 2017 at the Hilton Short Hills. A special part of the night is the opportunity for guests to meet with current and former Valerie Fund patients both informally and at designated Learning Depots. Along with a caregiver from The Valerie Fund, our ambassadors will educate guests about all the services the organization has to offer. The interaction often turns personal as ambassadors share how a particular service was meaningful in their own journey of battling a life-threatening disease.

Topics: Non-profit, education, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, pediatric, childhood cancer, caregivers, events, new jersey, nonprofit, ambassadors

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The 4^th Annual 5K Rook Run (and walk) hosted over 3,000 walkers and runners on Sunday, October 8^th in Long Branch, NJ at the Great Lawn Amphitheatre. Despite the soggy weather, supporters came out for a day of food and fun and to raise awareness for children with cancer and blood disorders.

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, pediatric, childhood cancer, sickle cell, 5k, walk, oncology, events, rook, rook coffee, new jersey, fundraising, nonprofit, raffle, world subaru, subaru, 2018 subaru forrester

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September is National Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Join The Valerie Fund in going red and gold to raise awareness. #nobodyfightsalone #bethehope #40yearsofcaring.

 

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, Charity, childhood cancer, sickle cell, awareness, events, community events, new jersey, 40 years, fundraising

Since 1983, The Valerie Fund's Camp Happy Times has been hosting children whose lives have been affected by a devastating diagnosis of cancer. Any child who has or has had cancer is eligible to attend the one week overnight camp located in Tyler Hill, PA. 

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, Charity, cancer, camp happy times, camp

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The 4th Annual Rook Run (and walk) will be held on Sunday, October 8th, 2017 on the Long Branch boardwalk.

The high energy community event benefits children in our area battling cancer and blood disorders and has already raised over $500,000 to date. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Lead Sponsor World Subaru, a raffle drawing has been added this year and a 2018 Subaru Forester SUV will be given away to one lucky ticket holder on October 8th. 

Joe Wajda, Executive Manager of the Tinton Falls dealership decided to step up World Subaru's charitable efforts at the Rook Run (and walk) after seeing firsthand the top notch care patients were receiving at The Valerie Fund Children's Center located within Monmouth Medical Center.

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, Charity, childhood cancer, 5k, walk, walkathon, sponsors, oncology, run, events, rook, rook coffee, new jersey, fundraising, raffle, world subaru

The 2017 Valerie Fund Walk & JAG Physical Therapy 5K Run was a wonderful success! On Saturday, June 10th, 4,500 people joined us at Essex County's Verona Park for a day of remembrance, hope and strength. 

New supporters of the event this year included samples from Yasso frozen yogurt, Philly Pretzel Factory, and a visit from the Montclair Art Museum (MAM) mobile art studio. Long time supporters and WCBS-TV's very own John Elliot and Vanessa Murdock conducted live interviews with Valerie Fund patients. 

Earlier on CBS Sunday Morning, Communications Director, Bunny Flanders, and Valerie Fund patient, Matthew, promoted the Walk and The Valerie Fund's mission to the station's vast audience. Gallant Entertainment returned this year for a crowd-pumping drumline performance at the start of the Walk. 

 

 

Topics: Blood Disorders, Charity, childhood cancer, 5k, verona, walk, walkathon, sponsors, run, new jersey, 40 years, fundraising, nonprofit

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On Sunday, May 21st, almost 400 Valerie Fund patients, their parents and sibilings attended this year's Morgan Stanley Recreation Day at Funplex in East Hanover, NJ. "Rec Day" is a day of fun activties for Valerie Fund patients and their families. The Morgan Stanley fundraising campaign supports two fantastic Valerie Fund activities: Rec Day and Camp Happy Times. Rec Day gives Morgan Stanley first and second year analysts the opportunity to meet and interact with the kids as they volunteer for the day.

Topics: Non-profit, Blood Disorders, Charity, camp happy times, childhood cancer, awareness, events, community events, new jersey, 40 years, fundraising, nonprofit

The Valerie Fund is proud to announce that Sue and Ed Goldstein will be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. The determined efforts of the Goldsteins over the last four decades have resulted in access to compassionate care for thousands of children in New Jersey battling cancer and blood disorders. The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 7^th in Asbury Park.

Topics: education, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, Charity, cancer, Founders, awareness, community events, new jersey, 40 years, nonprofit

On Wednesday, April 12, 2017, Morgan Stanley's annual Valerie Fund campaign to support Camp Happy Times kicked off at the firm's office in New York City. Former Valerie Fund patient, Sierra Spriggs, a three-time cancer survivor and Camp Happy Times veteran, shared her journey from her first diagnosis at age five until now. Sierra will graduate from Colombia University with her Masters in Social work this May.

Topics: Blood Disorders, Charity, camp happy times, childhood cancer, awareness, philanthropy, events, community events, new jersey, 40 years, fundraising, nonprofit

For the first time in seventeen years, a new Valerie Fund Children's Center has opened at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson, NJ. The Passaic County-based outpatient facility neighbors the northern New Jersey counties of Morris and Essex where several other Valerie Fund Centers are located. 

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology division at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital was established in 1996, and treats a diverse population of patients. Much like the population treated at The Valerie Fund's Newark Beth Israel Center, English is not the primary language of patients and their families. At St. Joseph's Center, 60% are Spanish speaking and 10% speak Arabic. 

The Valerie Fund immediately enhanced the existing core services at St. Joseph's, their social work and child life programs and hired a psychologist, educational liaison and financial specialist. This team is led by Dr. Jill Menell, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Bill Copeck, Nurse Manager.  

Topics: child life, social worker, educational liaison, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, pediatric, cancer, sickle cell, caregivers, awareness, oncology, centers, new jersey, nonprofit