My goal when creating CharitableConnections was to connect young people, or people in general, to local causes.  When visiting my neighborhood watering hole, I discovered a benefit that is going to be held this weekend and thought I would look it up when I got home.  This is definitely a cause that started pulling at my heart strings.

The name of the benefit is Cheers for Kota’s Cure and is being held at Jerseys Pub and Grub on C St SW in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, July 21.  The benefit is being held for a 6-year old little girl who is fighting childhood cancer Neuroblastoma.

Here is a little more information about Dakota and her journey through life:

Dakota was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma when she was just 4 months old. She has battled through multiple relapses, progressions, surgeries, and intense chemotherapy and clinical trial treatments and today is a happy and active 6 year old girl. She continues to have some cancerous disease in her pelvic bones for which she is on a Phase I clinical trial to hopefully keep her stable. She takes a chemotherapy pill every night and must fly with her family to her hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, at least every 8 weeks for various testing including brain MRI’s, MIBG scans, CT’s, bone marrow biopsies and aspirations, and various blood work. If it were not for the clinical trials available at Memorial, Dakota would have run out of viable, life-sustaining treatment options 2 years ago. She will continue to need follow-up care in New York for many years to come.

Neuroblastoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that develops from nerve tissue and is usually occurs in infants and children  (source).

At the benefit, there will be a raffle and silent auction.  The silent auction features restaurant gift cards, baskets, handmade items and (my favorite) a pair of Iowa Hawkeye Football Tickets!  You know you want to win those! 😉

Bring your friends or family and help support Dakota in her fight against childhood cancer!  If you can’t make it to Jerseys on Saturday, don’t fret!  If you visit Dakota’s Dream Team on Facebook, you can still make a donation to this very worthy cause!

Dakota – you are in the hearts and thoughts of many!