Dover Area High School is helping to fundraise for Ryan’s Hope to provide care, and support to children and their families that have been affected by pediatric cancer.  Ryan’s Hope is a non-profit organization working towards  improving the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families affected by Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG for short. Ryan’s Hope is working to raise awareness for pediatric brain tumors, specifically DIPG. 

Many of the charities Dover has fundraised for are closely connected to the student members and charities they’re passionate about. DECA advisor Loni Kress said, “Madalyn Smyser is the cousin of Ryan Arnold, whom Ryan’s Hope is named after.” 

It is important that not only students, but also the community as a whole know information about DIPG. DECA member Bella Keister said, “We can raise awareness for DIPG by spreading information about brain cancer and what Ryan and his family went through.”

We can also get our whole community involved to help raise awareness for Ryan’s Hope. Upcoming fundraisers include: Glacier Flakes restaurant night on Sept. 1, the GOLD OUT varsity football game on Sept. 9, the color run on Sept. 10, and the Smyser Farm Fall Fest on Oct. 10.

The high school is getting other schools in the district involved in Ryan’s Hope as well. Kress said, “With the help of MS Student Council, leaders have organized an assembly with games for our middle school students.  Each will be participating in a coin drive with principal challenges to help raise funds.” Like the other fundraisers going on within the district, the funds of the coin drive will all be going towards Ryan’s Hope.