It's fair to say the Kids Cancel Cancer benefit, coming up on Tuesday, is a sort of positive take on "cancel culture."
"Pediatric cancer has affected all of our families in some way," said Mischa Abend, who along with three friends, Hayley Silvers, Ava Litman, and Abey Fuks, is organizing the fund-raiser for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation. "What's different about our event is it's a bunch of children raising money, rather than adults."
Proceeds from Kids Cancel Cancer, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Clubhouse in Wainscott, will benefit institutions such as St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, based in Memphis, and the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. Last year, the first time Mischa, Hayley, Ava, and Abey planned the fund-raiser, they raised over $100,000. Mischa said she and her peers, who are all rising freshmen at Horace Mann School in the Bronx, hope to exceed last year's total.
The event will feature miniature golf, music and dancing, raffles and an auction, arcade games, and food. Tickets cost $100 for youth and $125 for adults, and can be bought online at bit.ly/3qllAp1.
The event was created by Marion Waxman, a member of the foundation's chairman's council. "It's so great when this generation steps up to make a difference for pediatric cancer research," Ms. Waxman said in an email.
Mischa said she and her peers are quickly learning that getting the word out is one of the most important aspects of planning an event like this.
"Pediatric cancer research is something we're very passionate about because it affects so many people worldwide," she said. "We wanted to prove we can do something, even though we're kids."