On a rainy afternoon in Frisco, Texas, the Dallas Cowboys headquarters at The Star was brightened by good news. During this year’s Children’s Cancer Fund gala, $2.1 million was raised to help childhood cancer patients.
The gift, presented to Children’s Health on behalf of the Children's Cancer Fund and honorary chair Dak Prescott, will support essential programs at the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Health. These include child life services, Dr. Sisi Zheng’s pediatric cancer research project, a junior faculty position, endowments for child life and pet therapy and a newly launched mental health initiative.
Prescott has a special connection to the research. In 2013, his mother died after a battle with cancer. Then in 2020, his brother, Jace, died by suicide.
“I think everybody's been affected by this disease in some form or fashion — whether it's you, or you got a family member or a friend or somebody that's impacted by this,” Prescott said during the announcement. “It's going to take us off going to take all the research, it's going to take the money, it's going to take the support, it's going to take everything that we can to, to get rid of it. But I know in that chase and in that pursuit, we can lessen, and we can create more survivors.”
Prescott is involved in launching new mental health services for pediatric cancer patients. According to Children’s Cancer Fund Executive Director Jennifer Arthur, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has been working to create more mental health outreach programs and child life programs for patients. Pet therapy and art therapy are just several ways the fund is helping increase patient morale.
“Dak was the first person we called and said, ‘would you be a part of this mental health initiative launch’ and he didn't pause for a second,” Arthur said. “He was the first investor in the mental health initiative.”
Prescott says, talking about it, and sharing the message is one of the most important things community members can do.
“We can educate one another through our empathy,” Prescott said. “And just because your currency may be different than mine doesn't mean that I can't help you get out of it.”
To learn more about the Children’s Cancer Fund, visit the link here.
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