The University’s Pre-Professional Health Honor society, Alpha Epsilon Delta, helped collect over $240 for the Kortney Rose Foundation for their annual charity fundraiser “Kiss Brain Cancer Goodbye” on February 13 and 14. The Kortney Rose Foundation was created by Kortney’s mother and the secretary of the Political Science department Kristen Gillette, and serves to raise awareness on the issue of pediatric brain tumors and to enhance and fund research for pediatric brain cancer.
The history of the cancer organization can be summarized in Gilette’s own words. “In 2005, my nine-yearold daughter Kortney Rose Gillette was diagnosed, out of the blue, with a very rare and always fatal brain tumor. She died four months later. To help pick up the pieces and move on from our grief and help other children with brain tumors through research and awareness, we started The Kortney Rose Foundation.” Gilette said that the organization is a non-profit organization with a mission of raising awareness of the number one cancer-related death among children ages 19 and younger: brain tumors.
Efforts by the organization have now culminated in the month of May officially being designated as “Brain Tumor Awareness Month.” They have raised over $528,000 in the last five years for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition to the events that are listed on thekortneyrosefoundation. org, they also have a 5K run on campus on April 6. The foundation has also set up many other fundraisers for local schools and businesses with their “Kiss Brain Cancer Goodbye” movement.
Alpha Epsilon Delta’s second annual kick-off of their “Kiss Brain Cancer Goodbye” fundraiser consisted of selling wooden roses, bracelets, and hanging the names of all whom donated in an appropriately valentine-themed “heart-shape” in the windows of Edison Science Building and the Rebecca Stafford Student Center. When inquired about the program, Caroline Lay, a junior and Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Delta said, “It was awesome to see the group (Alpha Epsilon Delta) come together for a great cause and I was so happy to see people around campus help us and the Kortney Rose foundation out. I’m so happy we were able to beat the amount that we raised last year. Hopefully in the years to come we can keep the trend going.”
Another member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, Thomas Priolo, was also involved with “Kiss Brain Cancer Goodbye.” “It’s for a good cause, and I cannot wait to do it again next year,” Priolo said. Many who donated felt great about the opportunity to support a good cause in addition to helping out one of our own. Abshan Malik, a junior biology major, said in regards to donating money, “there are lots of good charities with good causes, but knowing this is benefiting a member of our community and to actually know what is going to happen with the money just makes it all the better.”
The next event of the organization will be their first annual Plungapalooza on February 25 at The Avenue in Pier Village from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm to benefit the Care for Kelly Fund. As for the Kortney Rose Foundation, Gilette encourages anyone willing to help out their cause to email her at kortneyroseorg@aol. com. According to Gilette, although Kortney may be gone, Kortney’s legacy is rapidly growing and impacting the hearts of many, and most importantly touching lives especially here at the University.
