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Help the Pinky Swear Foundation Support Local Families of Children with Cancer
DES MOINES, Iowa — The 6th Annual Pinky Swear Foundation Radiothon is Friday, the goal is to raise money for families of children with cancer pay for non-medical expenses. For the last three years, WHO 13’s Maria Lisignoli, has shown us the Meyer Family who have benefitted from the Pinky Swear Foundation.
For the Meyer Family, the last three years have been a roller coaster.
In 2018 their 1-year-old son James was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms tumor, cancer in both of his kidneys.
“In the span of three days, we went from having fun at the splash pad and having a normal summer to being hospitalized for childhood cancer,” James’ mother MaryBeth Meyer said in an interview in 2018.
In 2019, the Meyers had much happier news to report, Sweet Baby James was cancer free.
“He just is enjoying being a normal two-year-old,” Meyer said in 2019.
And now, at three years old, James is still cancer free.
In 2020 MaryBeth Meyer became the Pinky Swear Foundation Partnerships Manager after the organization helped her family while James was battling cancer.
“My family was very much impacted in January, because you know what happens in January, your deductible and your out of pocket max resets,” Meyer said.
That’s where Pinky Swear comes in, the foundation helps families of children with cancer with non-medical expenses like rent, gas and groceries.
“Pinky Swear paid for our mortgage in January of 2019, because we went back to zero, and those medical bills just started piling up again,” Meyer said.
To raise money for these families… Pinky Swear has a goal of raising more than $225,000 at their 6th annual Radiothon, which is usually held at the Valley West Mall.
“This year due to COVID-19, we had to go back to the WHO radio studios,” Meyer said.
In 2019, 70 families received financial assistance from Pinky Swear. Meyer said this year, because of COVID-19… even more families are needing help.
“Some families have had to make the gut-wrenching decision, you know, am I going to go to my job where I could be exposed to COVID or am I going to stay at home with my child who is immune compromised,” Meyer said.
This year the foundation is asking folks to donate online.
Pinky Swear Foundation will be broadcasting live on WHO News radio 1040 from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and you can make a donation to pinkyswear.org