LAPLACE — When Kassidy Terrio was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at only 6 years old, the River Parishes community banded together in a “Care 4 Kass” campaign to raise thousands for her treatment in New York.

At the time, Kassidy was only given a 20 percent chance of survival. Kassidy is now a sophomore in college at Southeastern Louisiana University, studying nursing. She’s survived three cancer relapses, and her next scan in December will hopefully be her last.

Her mother, Cynthia Terrio, truly believes the generosity shown toward her family in 2006 helped save a life. She feels it’s her mission to pay it forward by advocating for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month each September.

Terrio, a bookkeeper at John L. Ory Magnet School, reached out to Interim Superintendent Heidi Trosclair last month to initiate a district-wide fundraising project.

The result was approximately $3,000 raised for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit organization that directly funds childhood cancer research at St. Jude, M.D. Anderson, Texas Children’s and other hospitals around the country.

“This is the first year that we did a District-wide dress down day fundraiser in at least the last five years. We raised close to $3,000, and that was just on a two-week notice,” Terrio said. “Imagine if we really plan something. We could do a lot more.”

STEM School students participate in a nacho sale fundraiser for childhood cancer research.

Fundraising efforts included a “St. John is Going Gold” dress down day, according to Communication Specialist Jennifer Boquet. Faculty and staff also participated in the fundraiser, and some donated far more than the $2 requested on the Sept. 17 gold shirt/jeans dress down day.

Boquet said snack sales and other small fundraisers were also held throughout September at various schools. At the St. John Parish STEM Magnet school, students participated in nacho and snowball sales.

John L. Ory raised approximately $1,200 of the $3,000, according to Terrio. The Cookies for Kids Cancer charity is especially important to her because it helped fund two of the trials that saved Kassidy’s life.

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer started after 2-year-old Liam Witt was diagnosed with childhood cancer in 2007. Shocked to learn of the lack of effective treatments due to a lack of funding, his mother, Gretchen, assembled a team of volunteers to bake and sell 96,000 cookies. The cookie sales raised more than $400,000 for research. Although Liam passed away in 2011, his family remains determined to continue the fight against pediatric cancer through a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Terrio was there when Cookies for Kids’ Cancer started years ago. She was with a group of about 10 parents, upset upon learning only about four percent of the National Cancer Institute budget goes toward childhood cancers.

“We were mad because it was money stopping our kids from getting treatments that were less toxic and more effective,” Terrio said.

Since her daughter was diagnosed, Terrio has personally known more than 50 children who have died of cancer. She wants others to know cancer is the No. 1 killer by disease in children, and more than 40,000 children go under treatment for cancer each year

“I feel it is my purpose to be a voice for the kids,” Terrio said.

Terrio also participates in the local Teddy Cares program for children battling cancer. She also mails gift cards to cancer patients, especially during September and holiday months.

Anyone who wants to help with holiday distributions for cancer patients can drop off or mail gift cards or checks to Terrio at John L. Ory, located at 182 W. Fifth Street in LaPlace. Checks can be made in Terrio’s name, and all donations will benefit cancer research.