The iconic white façade that marks the main entrance to The Greenbrier is turning gold for the month of September in an effort to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is being observed across the United States.
In the U.S. alone, nearly 16,000 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year, and approximately a quarter of them don’t survive.
The patient in these situations isn’t the only one who suffers. A cancer diagnosis turns the lives of friends and family members upside down, and the emotions, as well as the expense, of the journey through treatment can take a major toll.
“As a father, I can imagine the pain that these families experience must be incredible,” said Jim Justice, Owner and CEO of The Greenbrier. “We have to do all we can to find a way to help the cause.”
The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children and to help raise funds for research and family support.
“The National Cancer Institute only allots 3.8 percent of their budget for research for childhood cancer,” said Kelly Wymer, the co¬founder of West Virginia Kids Cancer Crusaders, whose daughter, Ali, is a cancer survivor. “These kids get so little. People don’t know that, so we’re trying to spread the word.”
Turning The Greenbrier gold will serve as a reminder to guests and the nearly 2,000 Team Members at The Greenbrier that childhood cancer is a serious issue that impacts so many families throughout West Virginia and beyond.
“It’s hard for a lot of people to face,” said Wymer. “People just don’t want to look at kids with bald heads. It’s too hard. So we have to raise awareness. Without that, we will never find a cure.”
Other businesses, bridges and buildings throughout West Virginia will also be going gold this month, and on Wednesday, Sept. 14, there will be a gold balloon release on the steps of the Capitol Building in Charleston, W.Va., to officially proclaim Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the Mountain State, where between 70 and 80 cases are diagnosed each year.
“Everybody has a heart for kids,” said Wymer. “Everybody is trying, little by little, to do what they can do. We have already made a huge difference in the state of West Virginia. We’re making progress, but there’s so much more to do.”
For more information on childhood cancer in West Virginia or to donate to the cause, visit www.wvkidscc.org.
