Hundreds of young cancer patients enjoy day at Great America in ‘A Day Away From Cancer’

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KRON) — “A Day Away From Cancer” is a free family-fun event for young cancer patients and their families. This year marks the 36th annual event at the amusement park, California’s Great America in Santa Clara.

Music, balloon animals, clowns and more were available for about 600 young cancer patients and their families at California’s Great America in Santa Clara.

“A Day Without Cancer” is an event hosted by the American Cancer Society’s Courageous Kids Day.

Best friends Eero Solomonson and Mateo Singson were all smiles on Sunday, but the journey to happiness wasn’t easy for the two kids and their families.

“This is Mateo, and he is my friend and from going through cancer treatment,” Eero said.

Both were diagnosed with cancer at the age of five and uniquely met during cancer treatments at the same hospital.

“We’re friends, and every time we came to the hospital for our cancer, we always said hi to each other, and we liked that part. And we always want to be friends,” Mateo said.

They both hit it off and say it feels like a lifetime they’ve known each other.

“My friend Eero, he’s nice when I get hurt, he always helps me get back up and he always hugs me whenever we see each other,” Mateo said.

Kids like Eero and Mateo are the reason why American Cancer Society’s Courageous Kids Day founder Gay Cawford continues to help coordinate “A Day Without Cancer.”

“Childhood cancer has to be one of the most difficult cancers for any family to face, and they face it as a family,” Crawford said.

Crawford is a two-time cancer survivor and the founder of the first Courageous Kids Day in 1989. Many of the children at the event are in remission, and this is their third and fourth time coming to the event.

“And they come and share their stories, they share their experiences,” Crawford said. “As one mother told me, it just gives them hope.”

It took about 150 volunteers to put on Courageous Kids Day. Some of them even helped putting on the magic tricks for kids.

If you’d like to donate, you can do so by sponsoring a stuffed bear for their Courageous Bear Campaign. Proceeds will be delivered to cancer treatment centers.

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