There will be a toy drive in Brossman Commons from April 7 to April 10 to help patients at the Pennsylvania Proton Radiation Therapy Center.
Sophomore Irene Snyder has taken on the planning and advertising around campus. Snyder has a personal connection because her sister had treatment at 11 years old, but her disease won the battle. “She did not have the experience Carter is giving these kids, and I wanted to give back,” Snyder said. So, she felt compelled, “to spread the word about those in need.”
The toy drive is being held after Easter Break in hopes that students will go home and bring back gently used toys, or go out and buy new toys. The drive hopes to collect toys for children ranging from four to 16 years old. “The goal is to make it affordable for college students,” Snyder said. “That is why they are not looking for money.”
This toy drive is sponsored by the Carter N. Bowman Foundation. Carter Bowman is a sophomore at Central York High School in York, Pa.
Bowman was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2011. After a football injury, he was examined for a concussion.
Instead, doctors discovered an abnormality in his brain which turned out to be a tumor.
After three brain surgeries, he received treatment at the University of Pennsylvania Roberts Proton Therapy Center.
When first diagnosed, “I thought to myself, I am finally going to be different,” Bowman said, remaining positive from day one. Cancer came as a “great experience to grow from.”
Bowman described his experience at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center as phenomenal. “Everyone on staff was so polite and always making jokes,” Bowman said.
When he was finally cancer-free, his mom, and other family members, highly encouraged him to start his own foundation to “raise money for less fortunate kids,” Bowman said.
With a little encouragement, he created the Carter N. Bowman Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to “help kids be kids.”
Throughout the whole experience, “I was very thankful to have my family,” Bowman said. “I was fortunate enough to commute to and from the center, so I got to see my family. Sometimes, these kids came from out of state or even another country. This means, on many occasions, only one parent could travel with them, and it could be dull,” Bowman said.
“I wanted to provide an experience to go out and do something besides sit in a hotel.”
Bowman’s foundation is able to send the patients to the movies, on trips into downtown Philadelphia or even the Philadelphia Zoo.
“The reaction was very positive,” Bowman said. “These kids had an amazing experience and brought a new, positive light to their situation.”
Even though he still has lots of time to decide, Bowman says he wants to be a neurosurgeon when he gets older.
“My neurosurgeon inspired me,” Bowman said. “He was doing his job out of a love of helping others, not for the money. After my experience with cancer, I want to do the same.”
Today, Bowman is cancer-free and is still actively raising money for young cancer patients at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. Since November 2013, the Carter N. Bowman Foundation has raised $18,000 for kids undergoing radiation treatment.
Beyond the toy drive, there are many other ways to donate. At www.carternbowman.org, you can donate to give families a day together. Trips range from a day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Science Center and even Dorney Park.
News of this toy drive hits close to home for first-year Christina Angelucci. At just weeks old, she had surgery on her liver. Her treatment at the children’s hospital inspired her career path.
“I want to go into social work because I love working with people,” Angelucci said. Even though this experience was at such a young age, she is still able to go back to reunions.
“The toy drive is great because being stuck in a hospital bed, not being able to move, can be unpleasant,” Angelucci said. “Carter has a kind heart to make the experience better for those kids.”
