Lakewood Ranch students reach out to young cancer survivors

Sam Clapcich – Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) – The Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) Cancer Kids First club had their first 2022-23 meeting this week.

Around 30 Mustangs attended the meeting where they created cards for pediatric cancer patients at St. Petersburg’s All Children’s Hospital.

Club adviser and LRHS chemistry teacher Moriah O’Connor said, “Our goal is to bring a little sunshine to those pediatric cancer patients who need it.

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“I want to see the kids (in the club) involved in something so much bigger than themselves and the stresses they go through at school. I don’t think they realize how much of an impact they can make by these small acts of kindness,” she continued.

Co-founders juniors Ramzia Sorathia and Halia Linsangan pursued their idea for the club last March, but finally began to produce it in May.

Sorathia said, “We hope to do events like physical visits to the kids, if that’s possible with All-Children’s. Otherwise, we can make zoom calls and produce things like cards.”

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Linsangan said, “The purpose here is to create cards that provide words of encouragement to these kids. We want them to know they’re never alone.”

O’Connor said, “We’ve already made and collected hundreds of holiday carts to pass out to local hospital units. If we have already accomplished this much, I can’t imagine what things will look like in the future.”