This year’s Carnival for the Cure event, planned for June 8, hopes to exceed last year’s fundraising total of nearly $72,000, all of which is donated to find a cure for pediatric brain cancer.
Organizer Lynn Whittington is in her sixth year of organizing the annual carnivals at Ceraland Park, 3989 S. County Road 525E, in memory of her son, Peyton Whittington, who died of a brain cancer, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, at age 5 in June 2013. An inoperable, tentacle-like tumor had encased the boy’s brain stem.
The idea for the carnival came from an event June 2, 2013, two days before Peyton’s death. A group of family and friends had staged an informal carnival at the Whittington home near Columbus, where Peyton had a chance to mingle with everyone. Whittington now believes it was destined to be Peyton’s farewell to his friends, something that was a gift to the family, although they didn’t know that Peyton had just hours to live.
The next year, Whittington said she decided to stage a similar carnival with a goal of raising $5,000, just enough to start the Indiana chapter. But instead, the 2014 carnival raised $30,000 — and the 2015 carnival raised $40,000, all of it going toward The Cure Starts Now research. In 2016, the carnival raised $47,000.
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By 2017, the goal was increased to $50,000, but the total surpassed $66,000, with about 1,000 people attending the event. Last year’s carnival goal, at the five-year mark, was $60,000, and the event exceeded that amount.
This year’s event will be from 4:30 p.m. on June 8 until the conclusion of the Blast Off for Peyton fireworks show at dusk, the annual tribute to Peyton.
Money raised at the event is used to create research grants into searching for a cure for pediatric brain cancer, through Peyton’s Angels Indiana Chapter of The Cure Starts Now. The tumor that encased Peyton’s brain stem was donated to medical researchers who are still using it to try to find a cure for the cancer, his mother said.
Whittington said performers from Columbus Power Elite will do a cheer routine at 4:30 p.m. to kick off the carnival, and the Night Owl Country Band will perform. Carnival games and food are featured
A butterfly release in memory of Peyton is also planned during the event, Whittington said.
She remembers Peyton, who arrived with twin brother Stillman, as a child who could light up a room and had a belly laugh that most people couldn’t help but join in when they heard it.
Whittington is expanding fundraising this year by adding a new event this fall, a casino night featuring real casino games and dealers, at The Commons on Nov. 1. More details about that event will be released soon, she said.
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What: Carnival for the Cure
When: 4:30 p.m. June 8, continuing through dusk with a Blast Off for Peyton fireworks show to end the event,
Where: Ceraland Park, 3989 S. County Road 525E
Cost: Admission is free, but carnival tickets vary in price for games and food
For more information: Visit csnevents.org/CarnivalForTheCure or call 812-929-1005 or email [email protected].
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