Teri Jordan is a woman on a mission. And while the mission may be tough, Teri has the finest reason to stay determined and keep going. Every year, Teri organizes fundraising opportunities in honor of her nephew Max Cunningham.
Max passed away on May 24, 2015 due to DIPG. DIPG, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the brain stem. These tumors occur most often in childhood, and although rare, can occur in adults. Because of their fast growth, symptoms develop rapidly, and although forms of treatment exist, the survival rate is incredibly low and there is no cure. Due to their location, surgery is rarely an option.
On the first anniversary of Max’s passing, a spaghetti dinner/Chinese auction was held, and shirts and wristbands were sold. The event allowed the group to raise the necessary $10,000 to start a fund with Children’s Hospital in Max’s name. Other events have included a carnival/fun day and Yankee Candle sales. All funds raised are given to Children’s and used strictly for DIPG research. “We have tried to spread the fundraisers out because we know that people do have their own causes to support,” she shares. “But I can truly say that each time we do have something it is amazing the amount of love and support we are shown. This really is a caring community.”
This year, due to the shutdown and guidelines of COVID-19, Teri was unable to organize her usual fundraising event – a spaghetti dinner to be held in April. She waited through the shutdown in hopes that she’d be able to organize the event later in the year, but current guidelines and the need for keeping people safe have made it nearly impossible to have a successful event. “I have been waiting until I could get something put together but as soon as I did, I figured we’d have another shutdown,” Teri shares. “But I still want to do something to raise money.”
So, Teri brainstormed ways that she could raise money for the fund and keep everyone safe. Inspired by other events such as walk-a-thons, she came up with an unusual idea to raise money. After talking it over with Ashley Laber of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, she decided it would work – even if it meant doing something she dreaded.
“I started a diet on August 30,” she reveals. “The only thing I could come up with is to do two of the things I hate most in this world to raise money for one of the kids I love most in this world.”
She set up fundraising page with the help of the Children’s Hospital and Ashley and did the two things she hates most – shared a picture of herself (the first thing) and shared in a picture her starting weight (the second thing). Over the next hundred days – until Max’s birthday on December 8 – Teri will work on losing weight. For each pound that she loses, participants in the fundraiser pledge money. She will post updates every 25 days with her current weight and how many pounds she’s lost. At the end of the event, the names of those that donated will be entered in a drawing for a prize.
“If I could have thought of ANYTHING else, I would not be turning to these desperate measures,” she confides. “But this was the best I could do. I welcome any encouragement and let’s make some money so another family may be spared this devastating loss.”
If you’d like to pledge money to Teri’s cause or send her some encouragement, visit www.givetochildrens.org/teammax to participate. For those without a computer but would like to donate, send a check payable Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, ATTN: Ashley Laber, P.O. Box 535240, Pittsburgh PA. 15253-9926; include Max Jordan Cunningham DIPG Fund in the memo or include a note with the same information.