(WICHITA, Kan.) — She survived cancer by the age of 10. Now at 16, Erin Whepley is helping other kids battling the disease.
This weekend, the East High Junior is hosting Wichita's first ever Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer.
Boxes are filling up the living room of the Whepley's East Wichita home. It is everything they'll need for Saturday's walk.
"it is to raise awareness in younger people that this is a real problem and that there is something that they can do to help," Whepley said.
All of the money raised will help the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. A place very close to Erin's heart.
"I was diagnosed when I was 7-and-a-half with stage 4 neuroblastoma," Whepley said. "We got referred to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, which is where I had my main surgery that removed my main tumor."
"I'm sure people wonder why we are helping a center so far away," Erin's mom Kathy Whepley said. "But it really is treating our kids locally."
Including kids like Tripp Stratton. The Wichita 4-and-a-half year old has been going to Memorial Sloan-Kettering since 2010. He too has neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer that develops in nerve tissue
"He just relapsed about a month and a half ago," said Tripp's mom Ashle Stratton. "While we are here he is receiving 17 days of radiation treatment and several rounds of low dose chemo."
Kids like Tripp are the reason why Erin is working so hard on this fundraiser. She knows every penny will help pay for research that may one day lead to a cure.
"Its really great to be able to help out in any way I can," Erin said.
The Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer will take place at 1:30pm Saturday at College Hill Park.
Erin is expecting up to 150 people, most will be kids. She's already making plans to host another walk next year.
Similar walks are also being held in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and North Carolina.
Reporter VideoShe survived cancer by the age of 10. Now at 16, Erin Whepley is helping other kids battling the disease.
