After twenty years of operation, the Allentown-based non-profit Angel 34 has decided to shut down. Dedicated to helping children receive cancer treatments, Angel 34 has helped countless families across the Lehigh Valley. Southern Lehigh’s Angel 34 club has dedicated itself to helping the cause, but the decision to shut down left the students uncertain about the club’s future.
Angel 34 was started in 2003 by Nicole Sheriff as a way to help other young cancer patients like herself receive cancer treatment. Sheriff’s foundation grew to a large one, with funding valued at 10 million dollars to assist families, hospitals, and research centers. Unfortunately, Sheriff lost her battle with cancer and passed away in 2004, but her mission lived on through the foundation. This year, Nicole would have turned 34, which is why Nicole’s father made the hard decision of shutting down the foundation.
Southern Lehigh club advisers Mr. Troy Ruch and Mrs. Lauren Schiffer have decided to focus on multiple charities in the area instead of just one. Originally they had decided with the members to revamp Angel 34 to support the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of Lehigh Valley (PCFLV). Instead, the advisors and student leaders have now decided on the new club name, “Friends of a Fighter,” as they are “friends” of all pediatric cancer organizations in the area.
Their plan is to branch out to other foundations instead of only donating to Angel 34.
“The fact that you have volunteer opportunities for a group of organizations really is just more opportunities for the students to get involved.” Mr. Ruch says
The club has opened themselves up to new possibilities by donating to Sassy Massey, a local pediatric cancer foundation founded by the family of Southern Lehigh student Jillian Massey, who passed away from cancer at the age of six. Every year, Sassy Massey collects toys and delivers them to hospitals to distribute to the children. Friends of a Fighter plans on donating toys during the holidays this winter.
Members of the club are excited that more organizations to support will create more fundraising opportunities. The PCFLV, for example, has a yearly 5K fundraising event. As Angel 34, the club would not have had the opportunity to participate. Now as Friends of a Fighter, they can.
The Friends of a Fighter’s current focus is student involvement. Nothing can be accomplished without students stepping up and taking action. With this idea in mind, Mr. Ruch and Mrs. Schiffer have created a board of students interested in leadership positions to generate more involvement in the future.
“We are already off to a great start,” Mrs. Schiffer says. “I am proud of the work that Southern Lehigh Students have done for Angel 34 and I look forward to continued success in supporting the pediatric cancer community.”
To better organize their ideas, the club created a leadership council and elected Christiana Lycette and Sophia Lycette as co-presidents. The club knows that Angel 34’s main purpose is to spread awareness and have students volunteer; however, they are more than willing to collect donations such as toys and gift cards when the need arises.
“This is my third year in [the club], and I have loved volunteering the past two years,” says junior Paige Bernhard. “I’m happy we get to do it again this year instead of just closing it [Angel 34] down.”
