Event to raise money for pediatric cancer

Published 3:43 pm Thursday, September 7, 2017

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The Eli Jackson Foundation will hold an event at Collins Chapel Park in Clanton on Sept. 16 in honor of September being child cancer awareness month.

Gold is the color associated worldwide with child cancer awareness and the event will follow the slogan “Be Bold. Go Gold,” which has become synonymous with the fight against childhood cancer.

The event will be held at Collins Chapel Park at 13195 County Road 29 in Clanton from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is free to the public, but donations are greatly appreciated.

Vendors and merchants interested in joining can reserve a spot for $10.

A kids’ fun area will include inflatables, face painting, princess appearances and a cupcake walk.

The Eli Jackson Foundation was started in 2015 and is in memory of Eli Jackson, who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor when he was six months old and lost his battle just days before turning three years old.

The first act of the foundation was the donation of a red wagon to Children’s of Alabama.

That act is duplicated every December around Christmas, when the foundation returns to the hospital and donates red wagons and gifts to the children currently fighting cancer.

Each of the past two summers, the Eli Jackson Foundation has hosted the Casting for a Cure bass tournament that has raised roughly $15,000 to benefit child cancer research.

The second annual tournament was held on June 10 and had about 30 boats take part to help the cause.

A large percentage of the money raised is given to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.

“Everybody enjoyed the day,” said Terry Jackson, with the foundation. “We’ve been blessed with great supporters that donate time and money.”