13-year-old Pittsburgh-area boy fills yard with Halloween decorations to 'scare cancer away'
By: Meghan Schiller and KDKA-TV Producer John Fauss
MT. LEBANON, Pa. (KDKA) -- A 13-year-old boy in Mt. Lebanon wants your help to scare away cancer.
He's filling his front yard with spooky creations and animatronics, all to raise money for a cause near to his heart.
Noah Westreich says he came up with the idea last year while thinking about how much he enjoyed the Halloween season and realized he was capable of making a difference.
"Last year, I was like, 'I love Halloween' and my grandma, grandpa, my dad had cancer, my dog died of cancer," Noah says, "So I was like, 'why not combine both of those and have Halloween and cancer?' It's so that more people can come and experience it and so that we can help with cancer research."
Noah calls it his "Scare Away Cancer" haunted yard. His mother, Monique Westreich, says Noah spends months preparing for his spooky display, saving money in a typical teenager way.
"He pays them back by doing a lot of things, by walking the dog, doing yard work, grooming the dog," says Monique. "I'm impressed because it's a lot of planning, it's a lot of determination and, you know, it's not easy."
You can check out Noah's display on Oct. 28-31 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at their home on Cedar Boulevard in Mt. Lebanon.
The family says they will be accepting cash donations that will go to the American Cancer Society. You can also donate online through Noah's official fundraising page. The family says they will also have a QR code that visitors can scan for donations.
As of Oct. 19, Noah has raised more than $400 through his online fundraiser. Noah says he'll take whatever he can get, but he would love to raise at least $1,000.