During the holiday season, while many enjoy exchanging gifts and celebrating, others face a very different reality. Receiving medical care, paying bills, and having enough food can be a daunting struggle for some members of various communities, including Madison community in Connecticut.
To help those in need this past holiday season, particularly children, Madison Public Schools in Connecticut has teamed up with fundraisers to do just that.
“Hats For Hope”
For the last two years, Madison Public Schools has participated in “Hats for Hope” a district-wide fundraiser organized by a student at Polson Middle School to benefit The Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer. Created by firefighters in 1953 to honor Tommy Mozdzierz, the first child diagnosed with leukemia in Connecticut, The Tommy Fund provides emotional, educational, medical, and financial support to local pediatric cancer patients and their families receiving treatment at Smilow Cancer Hospital and its affiliates in Connecticut. Leukemia is the most common type of blood cancer in children accounting for about 30% of childhood cancers. The exact cause of leukemia in children is unknown although, certain genetic conditions inherited from parents can increase the risk of childhood leukemia.
When participating in Hats for Hope students wear/bring creative and fun hats like sports caps, animal hats with moving ears, funny beanies, and character hats, to name a few, to school and donate a minimum of $1 to participate.
This past December, Madison Public Schools raised over $3,800 for the Tommy Fund—the highest that they have ever raised.
