Originally Featured on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD AM on January 24, 2020
DALLAS (KRLD) - The TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation is holding a workshop Saturday at indoor tennis courts at Lifetime Plano. The foundation is raising money for pediatric cancer research.
The foundation is named for Connor Cruse, who died in 2009 at eight years old, four years after being diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma.
"When I see my adult friends struggle with cancer, I know how difficult it is and how harsh the treatment is," says Joy Cruse, Connor's mom. "Just think of these little kids going through the same thing. Yet, the government, when they fund research for cancer, they give only three percent of their funding to childhood cancer research. Basically, we use drugs made for adults and hope they work well on children."
The foundation raises money for pediatric cancer research. The TeamConnor Foundation says cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 15 in the United States. The foundation says about 1,800 kids die from cancer in the United States each year.
"A lot of these kids, even if they survive cancer, have a lot of chronic illnesses later on in life, like heart problems and diabetes," Joy Cruse says. "They might get secondary cancers, which is what happened to Connor. He got a second cancer from his radiation treatment, and that was the cancer that took his life. We just need better treatments for these kids that are a lot less toxic and harmful."
Registration for "Smashing Childhood Cancer" begins at 12 p.m. Saturday at Lifetime Plano Indoor Tennis Courts. The first session of drills starts at 1 p.m., followed by a lunch and exhibition game at 3 and a second round of drills at 4 p.m.