Update (Sept. 28, 5:35 p.m.) Due to the large number of bracelets ordered, the delivery has been delayed and the bracelets for Morgan won’t be available for purchase at the Kait’s Angels yard sale. Additionally, they won’t be sold in local stores in the future. Students can purchase them at Cutchogue Elementary.
In 2011, at the age of 2 1/2, Morgan West of Cutchogue was diagnosed with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable brainstem tumor. She was given a maximum of two years to live but after receiving six weeks of radiation therapy and taking part in a clinical drug study at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, Morgan beat the odds and is now in third grade at Cutchogue East Elementary.
Although for the past few years Morgan’s status has been stable, the tumor has recently become active and is growing. She will be spending the next few weeks at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital after a family trip to Disneyworld.
When Morgan was first diagnosed, the West family created bracelets to share with family and friends as a reminder and a symbol of hope.
Recently, Jeanine Graviano, a teacher at Cutchogue East, began selling the bracelets to raise money for the West family.
“All of the fundraisers that have been done for Morgan have benefitted St. Jude’s,” she said. “Some colleagues and I thought of buying some more bracelets and selling them to help out the West family.”
Helping Hands 4 Morgan, the fundraising group started after Morgan’s diagnosis, has held several events to raise money for St. Jude’s, Graviano said.
“They’ve had a lemonade stand, a T-shirt sale, a Pampered Chef fundraiser. All of the money went to St. Jude. The bracelet sale is the first fundraiser for the family.”
The Helping Hands 4 Morgan team has raised over $24,000 so far for St. Jude’s, making them the number one fundraising team from Long Island, she said.
Students can purchase bracelets at the school and this weekend the public will also have an opportunity to buy them at the Kait’s Angels yard sale, which will benefit Helping Hands 4 Morgan.
“The bracelets normally sell for two dollars, “ Graviano said, “But at the Kait’s Angels yard sale, there will be a basket of bracelets and a donation bucket so people can donate what they want. As long as they make a donation they can take a bracelet.”
The yard sale will be held on on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1125 Ole Jule Lane in Mattituck. Donations for the yard sale can be dropped off at that address on Friday, Sept. 29 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Graviano said that in the coming weeks, bracelets will be available for purchase at local shops.
