30 Days in Fort Mill raises $70,000 to fight pediatric cancer

Cancer may be the No. 1 disease killer of children in the U.S., but local businesses and residents are chipping in to make a difference.

With the support of the community and a matching grant from kitchen gadget company OXO, $70,000 was raised during September’s 30 Days for a Cure to benefit Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.

Dana Boutwell, a former Mrs. S.C. Strawberry Festival Pageant title holder, has led the event for the past three years. She had hoped to reach the $100,000 mark – the amount needed to fund a clinical trial – this year. Funds from the past three year’ 30 Days initiatives now total more than $140,000.

“I really wanted to see our community fund a clinical trial, and we definitely did that,” Boutwell said.

CFKC, a national nonprofit, was founded by Larry and Gretchen Witt, whose son Liam died from cancer at age 6. When Liam was diagnosed at age 2, the couple was shocked to learn of the lack of effective treatments for pediatric cancers due to lack of funding.

They had a huge bake sale, baking 96,000 cookies and raising more than $400,000 for research. Word spread across the country and more people got involved. The Witts work for OXO, and each year the company matches national fundraising efforts from September to December, up to $100,000.

CFKC has funded more than six dozen childhood cancer research grants, resulting in 27 new treatments in clinical trials available today. The grants are guided by CFKC’s medical advisory board and provided to the nation’s leading pediatric cancer centers – St. Jude, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

During 30 Days for a Cure, a local business was highlighted each day, and a portion of their proceeds from the day – or a flat donation – was donated to CFKC. Shutterfly donated ad calendars that were distributed across the Fort Mill area letting neighbors know which business was the Good Cookie of the day.

This year, Boutwell enlisted help from friends in several neighborhoods to encourage their neighbors to purchase a gold ribbon – the symbol for pediatric cancer awareness. As a result, 830 bows were sold – up from 350 last year. With the OXO match, funds from bow sales totaled $9,834. The top Good Cookies of the Day were, with the match: Buy the Bunch Florist, $9,834; Biehl Dentistry, $3,700; Joelle with South Hill Designs, $2,000; Wine Shop in Rivergate, $1,430; and Nest Furnishing, $1,429.

Other area businesses that donated to CFKC were Red Ventures, Wells Fargo and Williams & Fudge. The three businesses raised, with the match, $10,694, $2,000 and $1,152, respectively.

“It’s been an unbelievable month,” Boutwell said. “How do you express your thankfulness to the community for their support?”

Many local schools joined the effort to Put a Lid on Cancer, with kids paying $1 to wear a hat to school.

“It’s simple and it’s kids helping kids,” Boutwell said.

Elementary schools participating were Springfield, Orchard Park, Sugar Creek and Doby’s Bridge. Middle schools participating were Gold Hill, Springfield and Banks Trail. Both Fort Mill and Nation Ford High Schools participated in a Gold Out event during a football game, where fans were encouraged to show their support by wearing gold.

“Being a good cookie just means doing a good deed,” Boutwell said. “It’s not limited to a bake sale.”

Boutwell said she is humbled by the outpouring of support from the community.

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 8:23 PM with the headline "30 Days in Fort Mill raises $70,000 to fight pediatric cancer."