Richards senior to host One Skate at a Time cancer benefit

Richards High School senior Jordan Moeller, the U.S. Figure Skating 2010 Intermediate Men's national champion and Men’s Junior gold medalist at the Gardena Spring Trophy in Italy last month, will host a fund raiser for Children’s Oncology Services, Inc. (COSI) on Saturday, May 25.

Southwest Ice Arena, which has donated its facility for the event, will host the fund raiser from 7 to 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children age 5 and younger.

Titled ‘One Skate at a Time,’ the event will directly support One Step at a Time, the camp for children in treatment for cancer sponsored by COSI. 

The event will feature performances by many accomplished skaters.  Jason Brown, the 2013 World Junior silver medalist and a recent U.S. Junior national champion, also will perform.  Several other accomplished skaters also will
perform.

The fund raiser will help make the camps – generally, the cost nears $1,000 to cover all the activities, meals, and other expenses -- more affordable for families. 

“We let the doctors work on curing the cancer where. One Step programs works on curing the spirit,” said Jeff Infusino, president of COSI.

COSI camps provide refuge and place of renewal. 

“Many challenges come along with being a young cancer patient. Friends, school and sports are often replaced by doctor visits, sick days and chemotherapy treatments. Through our One Step programs, we offer camp experiences and other educational and excursion programs throughout the year that allow children with cancer to just be kids,” Infusino said.

Camp provides access not only to fun, but to a place where patients can relax with others who know the road they’ve traveled.

“Children who attend camp for the first time often arrive scared, isolated or depressed but leave our programs feeling joyful, supported and no longer alone or misunderstood,” Infusino said.  “At camp, kids find support, inspiration, friendship and hope and these tools empower children as they return home to face whatever challenges lie ahead.”

Moeller discovered One Step at a Time through Debbie Swanson, a Richards math
teacher.  Swanson’s niece, Julia Fischer (a graduating senior at Shepard High School in Palos Heights), attended the camp during her treatment.

“Camp offered my niece a place to network with kids who were also going through the experience of cancer.  It’s hard to help a child through that experience, so camp was a really important place for Julia to learn to cope with her feelings,” Swanson said.

Jennifer Fischer, Julia’s mom, teaches at Shepard.  She witnessed the effects of the camp directly.

“As a parent of a child who is childhood cancer survivor of 8 years, who has attended One Step at a Time, I can say that the camps really help kids to find strength,” she said. “When the kids sense they are not alone in their health struggles and find other people who understand what they are feeling and going through it means the world.”

Fischer stressed that the fund raiser opens doors for families with a child fighting the disease.

“The cost to parents is greatly reduced because of the fundraising efforts of COSI and the donations of people who support One Step at a Time. Jordan’s skating benefit is another way to help very ill and struggling kids who deserve the support. It is a very kind gesture of all of the skaters who are volunteering their time to put on this show,” Jennifer Fischer said.