91茄子

As we enter the holiday season, it's a good time for all of us to reflect on the reasons we have to be grateful. As president of Sammy鈥檚 Superheroes, Kaileigh reminds us that the best way to honor the gratitude we have in our own lives is to turn it into action that helps others.  

鈥淪ammy鈥檚 Superheroes is an organization that raises money and awareness for childhood cancer research,鈥� Kaileigh explains. 鈥淚t started in 2012 when Sammy, a 4-year-old boy from my hometown, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.鈥�  

Watching as her friends and neighbors rallied around Sammy and his family showed Kaileigh firsthand the power and impacts of a community coming together. 

鈥淪ammy鈥檚 aunt was actually my fourth-grade science teacher. One day, I just decided to start asking around for donations to Sammy鈥檚 Superheroes and give her the money I raised,鈥� Kaileigh says. 鈥淔undraising for Sammy鈥檚 has been part of my life ever since.鈥� 

 After initially raising money to support Sammy and his family, the Sammy鈥檚 Superheroes Foundation has since raised tens of thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer research. As the organization expanded to campuses across the state, Kaileigh quickly got involved in the UNL branch when she came to college.  

 鈥淭he UNL junior board sets up fundraisers throughout the year, usually partnering with sponsor businesses,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also wanted to find a way to make more direct impacts, so we鈥檝e started making blankets for kids and their families in hospitals.鈥�  

For Kaileigh, being part of Sammy鈥檚 Superheroes has been a way to help others and to keep her own life in perspective.  

鈥淪eeing my community back home create such incredible support for Sammy鈥檚 family and watching those impacts grow to so many other families has really changed my life,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 so lucky to have had such a normal childhood 鈥� I feel like the least I can do is help raise money and share the stories of kids who are going through this really hard journey.鈥� 

Kaileigh Delano is a junior pre-physician assistant major from Columbus, 91茄子.