When Love Your Melon began in 2012, our mission was simple - to give a hat to every child battling cancer. We quickly met that goal and in 2015, changed our mission to give 50% of net profit to nonprofits leading the fight against pediatric cancer. Fast forward to today, we have been able to give over 235,000 beanies and $9.4 million to the fight against pediatric cancer.
In 2021, we gave $1,000,601 to nonprofit organizations across the world that lead the fight against pediatric cancer. This brings our total given to an incredible $9,436,840 and we couldn't be prouder of what we've been able to achieve together for children and families battling cancer.
Read more about each of the nonprofits we are supporting this year. They are leaders in the areas of pediatric cancer research, therapeutic experiences and family support:
RESEARCH
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $100,501 Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization funding novel research and innovative clinical trials utilizing precision medicine to target solid tumor cancers in children. The organization's goal is to create viable treatment options for kids TODAY to increase survival and decrease toxicity. Since 2019, Love Your Melon has been supporting the efforts of Beat Childhood Cancer to bring the drug DFMO through clinical trials to FDA approval. Neuroblastoma has a high rate of reoccurrence and DFMO is aimed to keep kids disease-free allowing them to survive and thrive. We are proud to support this initiative and the network of hospitals bringing less toxic therapies to every child, everywhere. Read more about Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $400,000 The M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital has been a longtime partner of Love Your Melon since 2016. This hospital provides a broad range of pediatric programs and care for children battling cancer and is also a leader in pediatric oncology services and top-notch research. Masonic Children's Hospital was the site of the first successful pediatric bone marrow transplant. Our gift of $400,000 will support both research and provide family support. $100,000 of the gift will go towards supporting research in the prevention of childhood leukemia, and the remaining $300,000 will go towards renaming and building the Love Your Melon Family Resource Center within the hospital, at the site of Love Your Melon's first beanie donation event. Read more about the research and resource center we are supporting here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $100,000 Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is another longtime partner of Love Your Melon since 2016. Starting from a front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004) to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer, the Foundation has evolved into a national fundraising movement to carry on her legacy of hope. Our gift of $100,000 this year will support the Crazy 8 Initiative, a program dedicated to detailing the roadmaps to cures for high-risk childhood cancers using the eight key areas of need identified by 90 top scientists and researchers around the world. Read more about the different programs we have supported at Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $50,000 The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and clinical trials that focus on finding less toxic, more effective treatment options for childhood cancer. This year, our funding is supporting the Sunshine Project, which is a collaborative network of the nation's leading doctors and hospitals leading research for basic science, treatment initiatives, and clinical trials. Read more about the research we are supporting at the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $55,300 World Child Cancer improves the diagnosis, treatment and support of children with cancer in low and middle-income countries. Founded in 2007, World Child Cancer now supports 13 programs in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Our gift this year will support WCC's program in Cameroon, which will be crucial in developing psychosocial support through several hospitals and care centers. The funding will help cover play materials, support group activities, accommodations, follow-up visits and crucial support for the costs of leukemia drugs. Read more about World Child Cancer and their programs here.
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THERAPEUTIC EXPERIENCES |
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $100,000 The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring today's youth through entertainment and education focused initiatives. RSF's first initiative is to build broadcast media centers, named Seacrest Studios, within pediatric hospitals for patients to explore the creative realms of radio, television, and new media. Our funding this year will support the expansion and opening of two new Seacrest Studios in as well as help upgrade and fix technology, educate and help patients host their own shows, and purchase items like iPads, camera gear and robots to safely deliver prizes to patient rooms. Learn more about Seacrest Studios and Ryan Seacrest Foundation here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $20,000 Zip With Us, Inc. donates custom medical access Zipshirts that accommodate ports, picc lines, tubes & catheters to pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemo. These Zipshirts help reduce fear and allow children to remain comfortable and keep their clothes on during treatment. Our gift this year will allow Zip With Us to continue providing Zipshirts at no cost to patients at 20 new hospitals they brought on in 2021 with the goal of expanding to 30 additional children's hospitals in 2022. Read more about Zip With Us here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $20,000 The Confetti Foundation is a nonprofit that supplies birthday parties to children who spend their birthday in a hospital, pediatric oncology clinic, or hospice facility. We are proud to support The Confetti Foundation for the 5th year in a row. Our gift this year will provide 500 birthday boxes and 500 Love Your Melon beanies. Learn more about our involvement with The Confetti Foundation and what a birthday box includes here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $10,000 The Children's Cancer Association delivers joy-based programming to optimize the emotional health of young patients, resulting in measurable and immediate improvements to well-being. Love Your Melon's funding this year will support the JoyRx Music program, where trained music specialists deliver music medicine virtually to young patients across the nation. Click here to read more about Children's Cancer Association and the JoyRx Music program.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $4,800 The mission of Valley Children's Healthcare is to provide high-quality and comprehensive healthcare services to children and to continuously improve the health and well-being for children. Our funding this year will support the purchase of 60 Medi Teddy's "Hope" Edition for the oncology unit and infusion patients to help reduce anxiety. Read more about our support of the Medi Teddy at Valley Children's Healthcare here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $5,000 The For a Day Foundation is committed to creating emotionally therapeutic experiences for seriously ill children by providing them with a joyful and much needed diversion from the strain of chronic treatment. Love Your Melon is proud to support For a Day Foundation with $5,000 to fund programs such as quality of life requests, end of life requests, normal celebrations families otherwise cannot afford, and contribute to activities programs within hospitals. Learn more about the For a Day Foundation here.
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FAMILY SUPPORT |
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $75,000 The Pinky Swear Foundation was founded on a pinky swear promise as a dying wish between a nine-year-old boy and his father to help children battling cancer and their families by providing support for immediate basic needs and unique family programs. As a longtime partner, we have supported the Pinky Swear Foundation for the 7th year in a row, now with over $1 million given. Our funding this year will continue to support the Orange Envelope Program, which provides care packages for families with children newly diagnosed with cancer. Read more about our partnership with the Pinky Swear Foundation and their Orange Envelope Program here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $10,000 Among the first side-effects a child may experience after being diagnosed with cancer is isolation. Hopecam connects children back with their friends, classmates, and school through the use of tablet computers, web cameras, and high-speed internet connections to secure and facilitate their participation. Our funding this year will support the 2022 "Champions of Hope" initiative, which will allow Hopecam to expand into new communities and serve more children with cancer at a time when they need connectivity more than ever. Learn more about Hopecam's programs here.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $25,000 The Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) ensures that everyone affected by childhood cancer has access to the best possible care and support—from a child's diagnosis, through treatment and into survivorship. Our gift this year will directly support the food costs during hospital stays, accommodations when traveling for treatment, and child care for siblings at home for families in Ontario. Click here to read more about POGO.
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AMOUNT GIVEN: $25,000 Candlelighters NYC is a nonprofit that assists families through all stages of cancer discovery, diagnosis, education, treatment and remission. Love Your Melon's gift this year will provide New York City families with financial donations, grocery store gift cards, meal certificates, clothing and more. Read more about Candlelighters NYC and their initiatives we support here. |
The nonprofit organizations we have supported in the past and continue to support today are leaders in the fight against pediatric cancer. We are proud to continue giving to nonprofits that are leading the fight through groundbreaking research, therapeutic experiences, and family support for children and families battling cancer across the world.
As we celebrate our 10th year in 2022, we are proud of the difference we have been able to make in the lives of children battling cancer. Thank you for joining the fight.
