Children Battling Cancer Get Special Surprise At Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital
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Columbia, SC (WOLO)– The company Love Your Melon has donated $2.6 million to pediatric cancer research and more than 110,000 hats to children with childhood cancers. Thursday, on “Love Your Melon Day”, they gave out 10-thousand beanies to 150 hospitals across the nation. One of the hospitals a Love Your Melon Crew visited was Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital.
“We need an extra large hat over here please,” Graham Oswald joked, a 13-year-old with Ewing’s Sarcoma. Graham was diagnosed just a few months ago and is undergoing chemotherapy.
For Graham and his family, the surprise was a welcomed distraction from the diagnosis.
“It’s really, really scary… we weren’t expecting this at all. I’m trying not to get upset,” Rayena Oswald said, Graham’s mother.
It was also a distraction from everything else building up.
“Hospital bills, treatment, what’s going to happen. Your future is uncertain,” Rayena said. “We’re not in the room, we’re not having to sit there and focus on the cancer, and the chomo. The chemo makes his so sick.” Graham was growing his blue hair out to donate it to Locks of Love, but now he is the one who needs a little extra love.
“Yesterday, of course, he had to have his head shaved because so much of his hair was coming out. So these guys are really, really great to come out and give him the hats and everything because he’s very self-conscious about his hair. Because it was very long and blue– he’s been a trooper through it all,” Rayena said. “They gave him a hat to match his hair!”
Four superheroes with Love Your Melon gave away 50 hats at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital and put smiles on those facing one of the most difficult battles at such a young age.
“I’ve never been through this, and I cannot even imagine going through something like this when you’re that age. So I think it’s awesome to just help out and bring a smile to their face,” Rachel Paul said, a crew member with Love Your Melon.
MICHELLE ATHERTON: “It’s just the kindness… that people, it really restores your faith in society a little bit. So it’s been so great. The support from strangers. It’s amazing,” Michelle Atherton said, whose 10-year-old son was just diagnosed with DIPG.
“I think that it’s cool that they’re trying to cheer up kids that have cancer and other stuff like that, and that are going through a lot,” Graham said. Even though it is a small gesture, it can make a world of a difference.
“Even when you go to the store, you’re looking at the stocking caps and are just like, ‘oh, it’s just a stocking hat.’ But for a child that doesn’t have hair, that just lost their hair and they’re not the same as everybody else now. That hat is…that means a lot to them because it gives them that little bit of security almost,” Rayena said.
When you buy a hat from the company Love Your Melon, 50% of the proceeds go to pediatric cancer research and they pledge a beanie for a child in their battle. To buy a hat, donate, or get involved with Love Your Melon you can click this link.
