Wilmington Cancer Moms raise $32K for childhood cancer research

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A local group in the Cape Fear has raised thousands of dollars ahead of the annual Reelin’ for Research fishing tournament in Morehead City this weekend.

The Wilmington Cancer Moms have competed in the tournament for three years and it would have been four if it weren’t for COVID-19 causing the tournament to be canceled last year.

Each year, teams who wish to compete must raise $1,000 to enter. This past year, the Wilmington Cancer Moms have raised over $32,000. Every penny goes to childhood cancer research at UNC Children’s Hospital.

One of the many helping to raise money for the cause in the Cape Fear is Cancer Mom Amy Hermann.

“Once you see a child go through cancer, it changes everything,” Hermann said. “It’s the number one cause of death by disease of children in our country. 1 of 285 kids in the US get’s childhood cancer.”

Hermann’s son, Jacob, was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 8-years-old. Fortunately, she says the diagnosis came with a 97 percent survival rate and he’s now in remission and getting ready to graduate high school.

“That’s what every parent wants is to get to this point and to just see their child happy and becoming an adult and realizing their dreams,” Hermann said. “I hope that we’re able to use this weekend to make that happen for more families.”

There are 12 main types of childhood cancer. Hermann says they raise money so that all of them have a high chance of survival.

“A lot of those don’t have a very good survival rate, some of them don’t have a survival rate at all. 1 in 5 children who are diagnosed with childhood cancer don’t survive,” Hermann said. “I just want to be a part of helping to make a difference so that families have hope when their children are diagnosed.”

If you would like to donate to the Wilmington Cancer Moms team or want to learn more about Reelin’ for Research, visit here.