Page 106 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

JUDY K JOHNSON

shaving events at Dell Children’s Medical Center, where more than
200 participants shaved their heads bald to support kids with cancer
and raise money to fund their goal to Conquer Childhood Cancers!
His message pointed out that worldwide a child was diagnosed
with cancer every three minutes, and one in five children diagnosed in
the U.S. would not survive. Only four percent of all federal cancer
research funds went to pediatric cancer research, so St. Baldrick’s
Foundation volunteers, supporters and donors focused their efforts to
combat this devastating disease. Harley was both cancer patient and
active advocate for fellow child cancer victims.
The Annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Fair brought together
vendors throughout the Austin community to support the battle
against kids’ cancer, offering activities, music, food, and refreshments
from organizations including Colon Cancer, KidStrong and Loving
Libbie Memorial Foundation. Other philanthropic organizations
present who supported childhood cancer included Locks of Love,
Wigs for Kids and Be the Match. Families touched by cancer shared
their stories and attendees were offered the opportunity to meet
incredible kids who were benefiting from the St. Baldrick’s mission.
St. Baldrick’s, participation in this paramount event for Dell
Children’s Medical Center marked the eighth year of fundraising for
the medical center in 2013 which to date had raised over $500,000.
In November of 2013, Harley became a board member for the
Texas Association of Blind Students—an honor not awarded to high
school students very often.
The Texas Association of Blind Students (TABS) serves as a
resource for blind students throughout the state. The lively division is
a cross-section of Texas students, including high school, college, and
non-traditional students, which comes together to discuss a wide
variety of issues specific to blindness. Their mission statement is: “We
are changing what it means to be blind.”
TABS actively collaborates with the Texas Parents of Blind
Children (TOPBC) to organize the annual youth conference held each
spring. TABS members meet each year at the youth conference, state
convention and the NFB National Convention. TABS members also
follow up with one another on TABS Facebook and Twitter sites.

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