MANSFIELD, Ohio – Within a two-week span, the families of both Cameron Friend and Bronson Radebaugh discovered that the two young boys from Ontario had cancer.
To help the boys and their families with medical expenses, local groups have banded together to help and to raise awareness through a benefit auction and 5K – both of which will split proceeds evenly between the two families.
The first of the two events is the WARRIORSTRONG Cancer Benefit Auction, which is slated to begin at 6:40 p.m. Oct. 31 at Snow Trails.
Featuring both a live and silent auction with items donated from several area businesses, the night also will include a raffle and a ticketed $15 spaghetti-and-meatball dinner that begins at 4 p.m.
The event itself is free to attend, according to Matthew Trittschuh, one of the auction’s organizers and owner of Matt Trittschuh Insurance Agency, and anyone can participate.
“What’s amazing to me about all this is the amount of support you get, and it puts faith back in humanity,” he said, adding that social media has been a major proponent to launching these efforts.
Along with Trittschuh and his wife, Hayley, the auction was organized by Adam Withrow, owner of Barberz Inc.; Jake Reichle, finance manager at Bill Harris Dealerships in Ashland, and his wife, Amber; and Andrea Young, of Hospitality Warriors.
On the following day, Hospitality Warriors and several mothers in Ontario will host the WARRIORSTRONG 5K at Marshall Park in Ontario at 5 p.m.
Registration costs $30 and begins at 4 p.m. on the day of the race. Participants will get a T-shirt in support of the Bronson and Cameron, according to Young.
“Our vision is to just love other people and to be as passionate and caring as we can be,” Young said of Hospitality Warriors.
Cameron, 13, is the son of Todd and Renee Friend, and is an eighth-grader at Ontario. He was diagnosed with T-lymphoblastic leukemia Sept. 22 after masses were found on his chest, stomach, and kidney.
Students from his class on Monday showed support for Cameron as the eight-grade choir performed “We’re All in this Together” from “High School Musical.”
He is undergoing chemotherapy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“It’s amazing, it’s overwhelming, it’s humbling, and we just can’t thank everyone enough,” Todd Friend said. “We’re kind of in our bubble down here all the time at Nationwide, but we’re constantly getting communication — text messages and Facebook messages — about what’s going on behind the scenes at Ontario.
“It’s indescribable, and we can’t really express how appreciative we are.”
Bronson, 9, is the son of Tanner Radebaugh and is a fourth-grader at Ontario. He was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma last Thursday.
Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare bone cancer that primarily affects children and adolescents. According to WebMD, Ewing’s sarcoma accounts for only 1 percent of all childhood cancer.
“Knowing I don’t have to work as hard because of all the support that’s pouring in changed everything for me,” Tanner Radebaugh said. “My spirits were so down before I found out all this support was happening, and since then it’s just taken the biggest weight you could possibly imagine off my chest.”
Since his diagnosis, Bronson has had a spot on his lungs removed and has begun chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which will be followed by a surgery to remove the sarcoma from his leg. He also is being treated at Nationwide Children’s.
“I told Tanner the other day, this is just what friends do for each other,” Withrow said. “We don’t want Tanner or Cameron’s parents to have to really worry about anything but the kids.”
According to Withrow, Radebaugh is self-employed and a single parent whose health insurance deductible is $12,000 and restarts Jan. 1, 2016.
“We’re not going to let Tanner sink,” Withrow said. “In the meantime, we hear about little Cameron, and we’re getting together with their camp, and we said we’ve got to come together – we have to unite.”
The boys have GoFundMe accounts in their names – both of which have raised several thousand dollars. Reichle began Bronson’s on Oct. 2, while Roger Brokaw launched Cameron’s on Sept. 25.
As of Tuesday morning, Bronson had more than $11,000 raised, and Cameron had nearly $6,000.
Those interested in donating to the families or want to help events may do so through GoFundMe or by calling Trittschuh at 419-564-9889 or Young at 567-274-8006.
Furthermore, both boys have bank accounts set up in their names for people to donate to – one at Richland Bank for Bronson, and one at Mechanics Bank for Cameron.
T-shirts and armbands to support the boys have been ordered and will be available at Barberz Inc. and Trittschuh’s office, according to Trittschuh and Withrow. Barberz Inc. is located on Park Ave. West in Mansfield, and Trittschuh’s office is on W. Fourth St.
People also can show their support by using #CAMSTRONG, #BRONSTRONG, and #WARRIORSTRONG on Twitter and Facebook. Information and updates on the auction benefit can be found in the #WARRIORSTRONG Cancer Auction Benefit event on Facebook.
“My spirits were so down before I found out all this support was happening, and since then it’s just taken the biggest weight you could possibly imagine off my chest,” Tanner Radebaugh said.
