Groups turning Missouri City gold for cancer awareness
MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- If you drive through Sienna Plantation in Missouri City, you can't miss the gold ribbons.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the entire community is getting involved to raise money and awareness.
"We do this work not because it's easy, but because it's needed," explained Missy Bellinger. "It helps in some ways, but every loss is compounded. Every time we lose a child or one is newly diagnosed, it's heartbreaking."
Bellinger founded A Shelter for Cancer Families, a non-profit organization that provides free support in the Texas Medical Center to families affected by cancer. She started it after losing her husband to cancer 18 years ago.
Her non-profit offers services like free housing and insurance assistance, as well as birthday and holiday parties.
Shelly Pack's daughter, Marlee, battled cancer for four years before she died in February.
The family had received services from A Shelter for Cancer Families and wanted to give back to honor Marlee's legacy.
"It was a pretty immediate heartfelt thing that we knew we had to do this," Pack explained.
She too started a nonprofit called Marlee's Smile, which sends stuffed animals to children with cancer.
Now, Pack and Bellinger have teamed up and are working to turn Sienna Planation gold and raise awareness. They're selling t-shirts, yard signs, necklaces, and more to raise money and awareness.
To see how you can be involved, visit www.cancerfamilies.org.
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