Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance provides emotional, educational and practical support to families of children with cancer being treated in the Texas Medical Center. We currently partner with all three pediatric oncology programs in Houston: Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, and Texas Children’s Cancer Center. Candlelighters began in 1989 with two parent support groups from the Texas Medical Center: one at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and one at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Children’s Cancer Hospital. The Texas Children’s Hospital group sought formal incorporation, and in 1992 Candlelighters was legally formed. In the fall of 1992, they invited the MD Anderson Parent Group to join them and the two organizations merged into one. This year marks our 30th year supporting childhood cancer families with daily programs and services. It is our greatest honor to have walked this path and use our experience and knowledge to serve those who will continue to come after us
Candlelighters Fun Walk is our largest community event providing awareness for childhood cancer and support through funds raised for childhood cancer families. We invite anyone and everyone to come walk with us on Saturday, September 9th at Terry Hershey Park, or wherever you are! We’ll be taking 4,837 steps at the Fun Walk which represents the number of childhood cancer families we currently support. The walk provides a family-fun day with a 3-mile route that is wheelchair, stroller, and wagon friendly, followed by FREE food, entertainment, and more! Join us as we walk alongside childhood cancer families every step of the way! Register today to start raising much needed funds for these families, and to help us raise awareness for childhood cancer across the greater Houston community.
Each year we meet more than 300 newly diagnosed families receiving treatment in the Texas Medical Center. While they are receiving treatment from the top facilities in the world, other daily needs can fall to the wayside, and out-of-pocket costs pile up. Studies show that upwards of 95% of families who have a child diagnosed with cancer, will experience financial hardship. Candlelighters seeks to ease the financial and emotional burdens these families face. Funds raised through Fun Walk efforts go directly towards childhood cancer families through our daily services and family programs such as: hospital parking assistance, hospital meal services, gas and grocery cards, and family programs like Summer Surprises, Fall Festival, and Camp CLIFF which is our weekend family camp. Each of our programs and services are offered at NO COST to Candlelighters families, and focus on serving the entire family including siblings and parents - because one day, cancer will be gone, but family is forever.
Whether you have a personal connection to childhood cancer or not, we’d love for you to sign up to walk with us! Registering for the event is free and you can choose between walking as a Candlelighters Family Team, a Community Team, a Corporate Team, or as an Individual. A Candlelighters Family Team is a team walking in honor of their child who has or had cancer. A Community Team could be a group of friends, or a church or school group who wants to support to the childhood cancer community. A Corporate Team is a company, or office group who chooses to walk together. And an individual is just that, someone without a team who wants to participate. You can use our online tools once registered to share your reason for walking through email, text, and social media, to ask others to walk alongside you and support you with donations. Once you register, you’ll also be assigned a Fun Walk Coach from our Candlelighters staff, to help you with any questions along the way. On Walk Day, you’ll gather with your team, maybe design a Team T-Shirt to wear, and you’ll all walk alongside childhood cancer families together. What are you waiting for? Register today and we’ll see you on Saturday, September 9th!
Can’t join us physically on Saturday, September 9th? That’s ok! You can still be a part of our mission to support childhood cancer families each and every day, by registering online as a virtual participant. You’ll have access to all the same tools, the only difference is you’ll be getting your steps in in a different location and perhaps even a different day! You can use our online tools once registered to share your reason for walking through email, text, and social media, to ask others to walk alongside you and support you with donations. Once you register, you’ll also be assigned a Fun Walk Coach from our Candlelighters staff, to help you with any questions along the way. Thank you for your dedication to Candlelighters and the families we serve!
