Brotherly Love: Bake Sale For Rare Cancer Research
By Ukee Washington
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, N.J., (CBS) -- A young girl in Gloucester County is holding a Valentine's Day bake sale to raise money for a research fund into the rare cancer that took the life of her grandmother.
Nine-year-old Erin Yankanich and her 10-year-old friend Sophia Laubin love baking. They're in charge as family and friends crack eggs and whip up cake batter.
"It's just crazy when you're in the kitchen," Sophia said.
"At first it was just for fun," Erin explained. "Then my Mom-mom started getting really sick so we did it for her."
Mom-Mom was Lori Kozempel. She had a rare form of adrenal cancer, pheochromocytoma. It's so rare, the tumor went undiagnosed for 10 years.
"It's like one in one million people get it," said Julie Yankanich, Erin's mom. "I said to Erin, 'There has to be a way for people to do research on something in order for them to find prevention and cures.' I tried to explain that to her. She's pretty smart, so she's like, 'Well, we should just raise money!'"
And what better way than a bake sale? Erin and Sophia, with help, went into the kitchen. They sold their creations at Mom-mom's church and raised $600. They gave the money to NORD, the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
"When we told her, she was really happy," Erin said. "That's like, I feel like that was the happiest she'd been since she was sick."
Mom-mom died in September. Erin's bake sale is helping NORD fund a research grant into the rare cancer that took her. If NORD can get $33,500, the grant will be funded. So Erin's holding another bake sale on Valentine's Day.
"I want to have like triple what we had last time but our goal for like money wise is $1200," Erin said.
So Sunday, February 14 will be a day of love devoted to a woman they loved.
Sophia said, "She's still here in our hearts and we love her."
The bake sale is on Valentine's Day at Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church in Washington Township, Gloucester County. It starts at noon.
If you would like to donate to the pheochromocytoma fund at NORD, click here: https://rarediseases.org/giving-spotlight-honoring-mom-moms-legacy-with-research-and-awareness/