Family's Mission To Help Others Dealing With Cancer Brings 'Buzz Off' To Philly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Lincoln Financial Field has served as the site for a lot of battles over the years. None of those battles have carried the same level of importance as the one that will take place on May 15th -- the fight against cancer.
Boston-based One Mission, a foundation that benefits pediatric cancer, is holding its inaugural Philadelphia Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer.
One Mission was founded by Ashley and Ari Haseotes after their family was impacted by cancer. At seven months, their son was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Their family understands the devastation that comes with being blind-sided by such news.
Today, their son is cancer free, but the experiences and changes to daily life, that the family endured, inspired One Mission into existence. Ashley Haseotes chatted with CBSPhilly.com about the foundation and about the event coming up in Philadelphia.
"I was actually always one of those people that was moved to help other people and moved to give back," she explained. Nicholas was born in September and two months before he was diagnosed with cancer I had a charity event at our house to benefit kids with cancer."
Haseotes had no idea that she and her family were about to endure the same trial that the families that she was helping went through everyday.
"I just at the time didn't realize that I was going to be one of the families that I was helping," Haseotes said. "Once I lived it, I realized just how important what One Mission does now, is to families."
One Mission's focus is on helping families that are dealing with the treatment and hospitalization of a child dealing with cancer. Its mission is to ease the burden of change during that time for the families that suddenly are forced to spend so much time in the hospital -- a transition that Haseotes and her family were forced to make.
"Anything that happened didn't happen on a regular basis," Haseotes explained. She was talking about the accommodations that were made for families like free parking passes and catered meals. Hospitals would have the funds for those things -- sometimes -- but they would often run out.
She kept a list while her family was in the hospital of things that she thought needed to be changed. Her desire for change is what inspired One Mission.
"I haven't met a hospital partner yet that keeps things like free parking passes, catered meals and decorating hospital rooms on their budget. They just don't," Haseotes explained. That is where her foundation steps in.
"They're focused on getting the kids the best treatment, which is great, but One Mission really flies in and it's all about getting the kids through cancer."
An example of that came in the form of the charity's first initiative which was to place mini-refrigerators at the bedsides of cancer patients at a Boston hospital.
Haseotes explained that she discovered how much of a hassle it is to simply get a drink when you're in the hospital with an infant suffering from cancer. The refrigerators were a way to alleviate that burden.
Like the foundation itself, the Buzz Off events were inspired by her time in the hospital with Nicholas. Their young son eventually had to shave his head away during his cancer treatment.
"My husband and I cried the entire time," Haseotes said after they finally made the decision to shave their son's head. An attending physician asked if they were okay, to which she said:
"No we're not okay, look at him. He looks just like a cancer patient. She put her hand on my shoulder and said 'sweetheart, he is a cancer patient and that's when it really hit us."
Haseotes says the Buzz Offs differ from walks and runs because there is a physical sign of the gesture you made. The first event was six years ago at Gillette Stadium and it has spread all over the country, picking up tons of participants along the way.
The Buzz Offs take place in several cities and include people willing to have their heads shaved to honor the lives of young people that are dealing with cancer and their families as well. The money raised at the Philadelphia event will benefit families fighting cancer at Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Wilmington, D.E.
Someone very familiar with battles at the Linc will be there to help the cause -- Eagles tight end Brent Celek.
"I happened to go to Brent Celek's foundation," Haseotes said as she scouted Philadelphia locations for a Buzz Off. "I said, listen I have this event do you want to participate and he was like absolutely, that sounds awesome."
Celek will take part, along with hundreds of participants and have his head shaved.
"I'm really excited to shave my head in a show of solidarity for those courageously fighting cancer and to be part of such a noble cause,"Celek said.
If you're interested in taking part in the Philadelphia event, sponsoring a 'buzzee,' or team, or making a donation, you can visit www.buzzforkids.org.
