$10 Million Raised for Childhood Cancer Research

Longtime St. Baldrick’s supporter Barbara Zobian and her friends, Alia, Christopher, and Uno, tell us that $10 million has been raised by all the wonderful volunteers of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation!

Barbara Zobian has been involved with St. Baldrick’s as a volunteer event organizer since 2006. Over the past 8 years of her involvement, the Hero Celebration at the Boathouse in Central Park has been able to raise over $1 million dollars for childhood cancer research.

 In 2012, Barbara received the distinguished honor of being knighted into the Knights of the Bald Table. She has also made her fundraising efforts a family affair, as her son, James, will be knighted this year. Her husband, Stewart, will also be going on his fifth year as a shavee. Along with her support of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Barbara is the founder and president of Candlelighters of New York City.

The Hero Celebration at the Boathouse in Central Park event is and always has been a very child-oriented event with gracious sponsors that provide activities to bring huge smiles to the children’s faces. Local police, fire, and business people from all over the New York City area flock to this event each year in order to show their support for the children in attendance that are currently battling cancer or are in remission.

 One of these kids is Christopher, a “quick-thinking, fast-grabbing, take-off-and-run-with-it” 2-year-old boy who was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma in January. When he’s not running around, you can find little Christopher relaxing with his feet propped up and both hands folded neatly behind his head in his comfy chair, watching Mickey and SpongeBob (or as he calls them, Key-Key and Bob-Bob).

Christopher’s dad, Chris, says, “Everything seems to be going as expected, and we are praying daily that it continues as such. Leslie (Christopher’s mom) has not left his side since diagnosis, and the two of them have bonded more than I have ever seen a mother and child do — and that is something in itself.”

When asked why she continues to support St. Baldrick’s, Barbara says, “My wish is to take a photo of these kids on their 21st birthday…That is why I do it…so that they may grow up and grow old.”

Join Barbara — Find an event near you and get involved in the fight to Conquer Childhood Cancers!