Kate Perschon is donating 10 inches of her hair in celebration of what marks 10 years of her son’s remission from cancer. Such celebration is especially significant for the Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids Foundation because Drew’s journey was their ignition.
While expecting her second son, Perschon received the devastating news that her 22-month-old son Drew had stage four neuroblastoma in November 2007. Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system most commonly found among infants and toddlers.
“It’s devastating in the beginning and then you roll up your sleeves and fight the fight,” said Donna Criner, Drew’s grandmother. “It is very stressful on everyone involved but you get through it as a team,”
Perschon’s community came together in support of their family. After Drew’s triple stem-cell transplant, the entire community had a big fundraiser to help offset the costs.
Due to successful treatments at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital, formerly known as Children's Memorial Hospital, Drew’s cancer went into remission in 2008 and he was out of treatment by May 2009.
Today, Drew is 12-years-old and their whole family is celebrating through their participation in the NICK Foundation’s 7th Annual St. Baldrick’s event on Sunday, March 11.
Perschon’s team, “Drew Crew,” has decided to donate their hair to Children with Hair Loss because it specifically donates a free wig to children each year. This year, Drew’s younger brother Ben, Father, and a few friends are joining the team.
Sparked by Drew’s remission, Perschon and Criner were inspired to establish the NICK Foundation. In the spring, they will celebrate nine years as a foundation.
“When Drew was diagnosed, we found no support systems in northwest Indiana for families of children with cancer,” Criner said. “Against some pretty devastating odds, our story was one of triumph and hope. We wanted to give back to a community that supported our family.”
Perschon and Criner started getting involved in fundraisers that would increase awareness and funding for pediatric cancer research in May 2009. They realized that if they established their own non-profit foundation then they could locally target the families and hospitals who needed their help the most.
“It started out as a little family project. After Drew’s successful treatment, we knew we needed to give back,” said Perschon.
Perschon and Criner want to meet families right where they are at by providing for their unique set of needs. Their ultimate goal through the NICK Foundation is to find a cure for pediatric cancer.
Through NICK events like St. Baldrick’s, funds are raised to find a cure for pediatric cancer and give children who suffered from hair loss wigs of their choosing. To join or donate to the “Drew Crew” visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/teams/drewcrew2018.