Team Owen
Owen Fox is a six year-old resident of Grant Park. He loves hiking and fishing, historical facts, soccer, Lego’s, and Star Wars. He also has cancer. Specifically, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) this June.
His diagnosis launched a stunning neighborhood-wide effort to support the Fox family. From the minute the news of the heartbreaking diagnosis reached the thresholds of the Fox’s Grant Park neighbors, the community rallied and began organizing battle strategies.
Team Owen quickly sprang into action, assisting with the Fox family’s everyday tasks—finding time to cook dinner became much more difficult when so much time was suddenly devoted to being with Owen at his treatments— and all the while zealously fundraising.
Team organizer Angela Russell remarks, “From the moment he was diagnosed there was a freezer delivered to their house and a meal brigade was launched. Play dates were set up for his younger sister so she’d be safe while mom and dad were with Owen at his treatments.”
Meanwhile, Team Owen quickly surpassed their original fundraising goal of $5,000, raising it to $10,000. To date, they have raised an amazing $16,000! It looks like a new goal might soon be in order.
The Light the Night Walk is an event held by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to both create more awareness of blood cancers and raise money to fund research of the disease as well as support patients and their families. Walkers hold illuminated balloons in designated colors: supporters carry red balloons, those walking in memory of a lost loved one hold gold balloons, and survivors carry white balloons. The walk has been help in more 200 communities as far away as Australia, and as near as the Georgia chapter’s walks in Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Savannah, and North Metro. The Atlanta walk is coming up soon—it will be taking place on November 5th at Centennial Olympic Park. At this year’s walk, Team Owen already has 46 supporters and is constantly growing.
Each year, the neighborhood holds a Halloween parade, and the Grant Park Parents Network hosts a bake sale fundraiser. This year, the GPPN has generously donated all bake sale and lemonade stand proceeds to Team Owen. The Fox’s Grant Park neighbors have truly gone beyond “good neighbor” status, a title awarded to those neighbors who occasionally lend a cup of sugar or check mail during a vacation. Says Angela, “If you had a second to meet this family you’d be immediately in love with them! The entire family has an amazing spirit and is full of such strength and beauty! The thing I’m most proud of is our wonderful, amazing community! Our neighborhood has pulled together like a small town… I can’t tell you how proud I am of neighborhood!” More than neighbors, they are a team—Team Owen.
Owen is currently receiving chemotherapy and spinal tap treatment once a week. It looks like he will be admitted shortly, and while Team Owen is hoping he will be out of the hospital in time for the walk, there is no guarantee. Whether he is carrying a balloon of his own in Centennial Olympic Park or in his bed this Saturday, his team will continue to be working on his behalf.
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Thank you so much for reading my blog! I'd love to hear from you! xoxo, Laura
CURE Childhood Cancer Announces $303,420 Grant to St. Jude’s Research
thank you for writing this about my sweet boy. we would be lost without the support and love of our friends and neighbors in particular Team Owen’s captain and my dear friend Angela Russell. Angela setup our team and has done all the work to make our team a success, there would not be a team without her! we can never repay her kindness and dedication. she is a dear friend and supports us to no end.
Go Team Owen!
We are folks up in NC thinking of and praying with Owen as he and his family travel this journey. God’s peace to you!
More NCers wanting to let you know that Owen and his family are in our thoughts and prayers! May God bless them, and bless Team Owen!!