From left: Grace McCafferty, Ella Sweeney, and Anesu Nyamupingidza volunteer at the annual Massive Garage Sale held in Newtown Borough.
A Love for Life, a Newtown-based non-profit funding pancreatic cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, just wrapped up a full month of fundraising events to celebrate Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month this past November.
The month kicked off with the group’s annual Massive Garage Sale, always held on the first Saturday of November in Newtown Borough. Neighbors and friends donate vintage items, art, household goods, furniture and books. This year featured coffee and cookies in the morning and lemonade and fresh pizza fired in a backyard oven in the afternoon.
The group raised close to $8,000, which allowed them to hit their $100,000 fundraising goal for 2024.
Bridget Wittig, a local Newtown 12-year-old, dedicated her November 9 kickball birthday party to “Kickin’ for a Cause”, raising $2,000 for research in honor of her grandfather, and her beloved aunt who is a pancreatic cancer survivor.
“My Pop Pop died of pancreatic cancer before I was born. I’m sad I never met him,” said Bridget. “My Aunt Jacci also got pancreatic cancer but she beat it. I want to raise money to find cures so other families don’t lose loved ones to pancreatic cancer like my family did.”
“Instead of getting presents, I asked everyone to give money to help find cures for cancer. I’d rather have cures for cancer than more toys or clothes,” she said. “It’s really important to help others who are sick if you can. I felt really good raising money to help make that happen during my kickball party!”
Following “Kickin for a Cause”, Shopping Days with a November 14 “Making Spirits Bright” Sparkling Cocktail event at Home Tonic in Newtown and the annual Jingle Mingle Shopping Night at Newtown Hardware House on November 22.
The nonprofit’s Board of Directors headed to the Abramson Cancer Center for their annual check presentation on November 20 at noon, and the Newtown Business Association held a Charity Spotlight Fundraising meeting for A Love for Life at Univest in Newtown later that evening.
On World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day, November 22, the group screened Prince’s Iconic “Purple Rain” movie at the Newtown Theatre. This event included updates on research progress from a Penn representative as well as purple cocktails and raspberry beignets.
Bridget Wittig stands in front with her foot on the red ball surrounded by her friends at her 12th birthday party, dedicated to A Love for Life.
To wrap up events in November, a dedicated group of local runners ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon/Full Marathon on Saturday, November 23.
Upcoming events include a Giving Tuesday campaign on a Cancer Awareness Charity night with St. Joseph’s University Men’s Basketball team on Friday, January 17.
All information on events is on their website www.aloveforlife.us as well as Instagram @aloveforlife_
A monthly newsletter with updates is sent on the first of each month. To receive this newsletter, send an email to the group’s president Christine Edmonds at christine@aloveforlife.us.
100% of the proceeds raised by this non-profit goes directly to a dedicated team of researchers at Penn in Philadelphia. All work is done by volunteers and all marketing and postage/printing expenses are paid for by the Edmonds family in honor of Kevin Edmonds and his sister Nora.