Finding out your child has cancer is a parent’s worst nightmare. For Andrea Verdone Gorsegner, her three-year-old daughter Natalie Grace’s leukemia diagnosis left her feeling powerless. As a way of gaining some control over their situation, Andrea decided to learn everything she could about childhood cancers and quickly learned how grossly underfunded research for childhood cancer really is. Only 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s annual budget goes to childhood cancer research, leaving thousands of promising research grants unfunded.
Andrea started Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer as a way to fundraise for research grants and advocate on behalf of the countless other families feeling cancer’s effects. Each year, the organization selects a different cancer to support as there are over a dozen types of cancer that affect children with countless sub-types. Through multiple projects, events and public speaking engagements, Andrea and her team have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for childhood cancer research in just a few short years.
In addition to fundraising and advocacy, Infinite Love is a support system for families who have a child fighting cancer. Their two biggest projects are Lovie Buddies and Infinite Love Photography. Lovie Buddies are personalized medical play dolls that can help ease some anxieties for children undergoing treatment. Each doll comes complete with a port (AKA a central venous catheter) and a medical kit full of supplies so that the children can “help” their dolls the way their doctors are helping them.
Prior to committing to Infinite Love full time, Andrea was a magazine photography editor for over ten years. During Natalie Grace’s two-year battle with cancer, she made sure to document every moment, good and bad. Infinite Love offers photography services for whatever a family needs, whether it is to capture their child before they lose their hair, celebrate finishing treatment or in remembrance.
Today, Natalie Grace is in remission and is a happy, healthy eight-year-old. Although her daughter is cancer-free, Andrea knows the struggle that is all too real for so many parents around the world. Because of this, Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer will continue to bring awareness to the lack of funding for childhood cancer research until there is a cure.
To learn more about Infinite Love and their mission, visit their website HERE.
If you’re located in the New Jersey area, be sure to join Infinite Love for their two big annual fundraisers:
June 2nd, 2018
12pm-4pm
75 Appleton Ave, Leonardo NJ
October 12th, 2018
Ocean Place Resort & Spa
1 Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch, NJ
It was an honor to feature Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer and their noble cause this month, stay tuned for our next monthly feature!