Fry Out Cancer
More than $22,000 raised supporting the Pediatric Brain Cancer Research Fund and The Ovarian Cancer Research and Education Fund
The 5th annual Fry Out Cancer was held Thanksgiving week 2018. Each year, supporters pick up their fully prepared fried turkey on Thanksgiving Day. A new partnership with Columbus Culinary Institute provided more helping hands, enabling Fry Out Cancer to fry over 100 turkeys – an increase of 40 turkeys over the prior year.
Fry Out Cancer also hosted a blanket-tying event for their more than 100 volunteers two days before Thanksgiving. They made more than 75 fleece blankets for patients going through chemotherapy at the OSUCCC – James.
“My wife’s grandmother passed away from ovarian cancer, and we have dear family and friends whose son passed away from pediatric brain cancer,” says Matt Freedman, founder of Fry Out Cancer. “So these are causes that are close to our hearts.
Ciao Ciao to Cancer
More than $50,000 raised supporting The Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research and Buckeye Cruise for Cancer
Luciana and Tom Ramsey hosted the inaugural Ciao Ciao to Cancer, along with the help of the Susi Family, owners of The Berwick. The Italian-themed dinner party held at St. Charles Preparatory High School on Feb. 2 raised more than $50,000. No guest left hungry after enjoying an over-the-top Italian buffet that included antipasto, tortellini, Italian meatballs, skewers, bruschetta, Italian sausage, ravioli, tiramisu, cannoli, cookies and more!
Guests were treated to music and dancing by The Eddie Polino Band, a reverse raffle with a $10,000 prize, a wine pull, a duck pond and silent and live auctions. Plans for next year’s event are underway so we can get one step closer to saying “Ciao Ciao to Cancer."
Rockin' to Beat Leukemia
$20,000 raised supporting acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) research
Nearly four years after 17-year-old Lauryn “Lu” Oliphant lost her battle with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), her family continues to pay tribute to her by hosting events in her honor.
The Rockin’ to Beat Leukemia musical event was created with Lu’s love for music in mind. Music was a pillar in Lu's life that got her through many things, including cancer treatment.
This 3rd annual family-friendly event, held March 2, featured live music by the band The Martini Affair and a night of raising awareness and funds for AML. Proceeds from event tickets, commemorative T-shirts, a silent auction, raffle drawings and donations will benefit AML research where Lu was treated: the OSUCCC – James and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Scott and Theresa Oliphant established a memorial fund through the Fairfield County Foundation in Lu's honor. In addition to Rockin’ to Beat Leukemia, the Oliphants host an annual golf outing, Hitting the Links 4 Leukemia.
To date, Lu’s Memorial Fund has raised nearly $80,000.
Giving Days at The Lox Bagel Shop
$3,000 raised supporting sarcoma research
The newly opened Lox Bagel Shop in the Short North launched a series of Giving Days on May 8 as a way to introduce the community to the shop's team and donate 20 percent of the day’s sales to the charity of a team member’s choosing.
The first Giving Day was in honor of team member Gabby Ramsey, who chose to support sarcoma research at the OSUCCC – James. Gabby and her family are annual participants in Pelotonia, Buckeye Cruise for Cancer and a number of other cancer-related charitable events. “My uncle passed away from sarcoma at a young age. After speaking with Dr. Raphael Pollock on the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer about the lab’s research and learning how underfunded this particular cancer is, it was a clear choice,” says Gabby.