TEAM BELL: Local ladies raising funds for St. Jude’s

Published 4:00 am Wednesday, November 29, 2017

“Team” seems to be the byword of the season. Everybody has a favorite team – Troy, Auburn or Alabama. But, there’s a new team in town – Team Bell and it’s made up of ladies who are committed to raising funds in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Amanda Ford said the idea for the Team Bell actually came out of the interest to know more about St. Jude Children Research Hospital and, who better, than Candice Howard-Shaughnessy to tell the story?

“Candy has been closely involved with St. Jude for seven years or more,” Ford said. “She has a relative whose child was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her mother, a teacher, had a child in her class who was diagnosed with cancer. We all know about St. Jude and the good that it does in treating childhood cancers. It’s also a research hospital. But to hear about St. Jude from Candy would make it more personal.”

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A group of ladies gathered at B Graves to hear the story of Bell and how it has impacted Shaughnessy’s life.

“Candy has been raising funds for St. Jude in honor and memory of Bell by running in the Memphis Marathon,” Ford said. “She works with the children’s ministry at her church and has helped raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. So she is very involved with fundraising efforts in support of the fight against childhood cancers.”

Ford said the cost per day for providing care for the young cancer patients at St. Jude is $2.4 million.

“That’s why fundraising is so important in continuing to provide that level of care,” she said.

The ladies who gathered at B Graves listened intently to Bell’s story, Ford said, and realized to an even greater degree how childhood cancers impact the lives of so many.

“St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offers hope in the darkest of situations,” she said. “After hearing Candy talk about childhood cancer on such a personal level, we decided to host an annual fundraising event for Team Bell on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. We want to promote the event so that it will grow and more funds will be raised in support of St. Jude that is giving hope to so many children and so many families.”

Donations are being accepted for Team Bell and checks should be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

For more information on how funds may be donated through Team Bell, call Ford at 334-372-5023.