When Payton Sernick embarked on her Cancer Sucks fundraising campaign for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan (CFHS), she could have never imagined how successful it would be.
She had just been named a junior ambassador for the CFHS, and wanted to show her support. Armed with her ideas, her infectious smile and a pile of suckers, she set out to raise $5,000 for the foundation.
Payton has now raised $30,627 for the CHFS. Thanks to her efforts, the CHFS nominated her for a Young Philanthropist Award with the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Regina chapter.
Payton was one of six young people from across southern Saskatchewan presented with a philanthropy award on Nov. 15, which coincided with National Philanthropy Day. At age eight, she was easily the youngest recipient.
“We were very excited,” said her mother, Andrea, in an interview with Lifestyles. “We’re proud of both of our kids, and the work that they have done.”
Her younger brother, Beckham, has been a big part of Cancer Sucks, appearing with Payton at school presentations, and offering encouragement.
“He was definitely the biggest contributor of purchasing suckers,” Andrea said with a laugh. “But he’s definitely a huge promoter for the Children’s Hospital. Any bit of money that’s sitting around the house, he directly puts into the bucket that’s going to the Children’s Hospital.”
The Cancer Sucks campaign that earned her an Outstanding Youth Philanthropist recognition came from her own experiences. A little more than two years ago, when she was six years old, Payton was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoblastic leukemia. She had hundreds of tumours inside her that required 11 months of daily chemotherapy treatments in Regina.
Payton wanted to show other kids that cancer doesn’t have to be scary, so earlier this year, she embarked on Cancer Sucks.
“The CHFS nominated her as a junior ambassador, not expecting any fundraising or anything like that,” said Andrea. “There’s a handful of kids where they get to represent the hospital and they get to do the fun things like the radiothons, and be faces of the sick kids, and (represent) why we need a hospital.”
The fundraising started with a presentation to the Rotary Club of Estevan, where Andrea is a long-time member.
“I told her that if she wants, she could go see if anyone wants to buy any suckers, and people were handing her $20 bills and $50 bills, and her eyes just lit up,” said Andrea. “And she just said this is going to be really easy.”
A playhouse, which was crafted by her father, Cheyenne, fetched about $14,000 during the summer.
“It went to a really well-deserving home,” said Andrea. “That is definitely our community. People can just pull together when they need to.”
She also did school presentations, sold sparkle tattoos and suckers, and represented the CHFS at a couple of events.
“We do still have funds coming in all the time,” said Andrea. “We don’t currently have any other schools lined up at the moment to do presentations at. We’re just focusing on her health at the moment, and getting that under control.”
The CHFS has clearly become a very important cause for the Sernicks, but they hope that when it opens in 2019, their first appearance at the hospital will be as a visitor, rather than a patient.
“Every single day, I see why we need a children’s hospital here,” said Andrea.
Payton still misses classes due to her illness, but her mom says Payton has done a pretty good job of keeping up with her classes.
“She’s a smart cookie, so we’re fortunate that she’s able to keep up with her school work and with her music and her dance and her gymnastics and everything else that’s she’s involved with,” said Andrea.
Beckham has done a good job of keeping up with his studies, too, Andrea said, because when Payton has to go to go out of town to the hospital, he comes with them.
As for Payton’s health, Andrea says it is improving, although Payton still suffers occasional setbacks. She undergoes daily chemotherapy treatments, and has a larger treatment once a month.
The final treatment is slated for Feb. 22, 2017.
Then Payton will have a month of surgeries and evaluations.
“We’re going to find out a little bit more from there on in, but we’re all pretty certain there’s going to be a rainbow at the end of this story,” said Andrea.
