The Sunshine Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, we are committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. The Sunshine Kids provides a variety of programs and events, free of charge, for Kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America. To learn more please visit our website at www.sunshinekids.org.
Options for Race Day:
HERO Entry:
Sign up for the Chevron Houston Marathon or Aramco Houston Half Marathon and pay the registration fee + make a $350 tax-deductible donation for a guaranteed entry.
Fundraise For Registration (FFR) Entry:
Sign up for the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon or We Are Houston 5K and commit to donate or fundraise a minimum to secure your spot ($640 for marathon and half marathon, $235 for 5K).
Just Fundraise:
If you have already signed up to choose to sign up through open registration, or if you don't want to participate in the race you can still fundraise for the Sunshine Kids with no required fundraising amount.
When you donate or fundraise $350+ are also eligible for HERO perks, which include: private pre-race bathrooms, hat and custom back bib as well as a Sunshine Kid team running shirt, hat and a Sunshine Kids pin!
2022 Corporate Partnership Program:
Corporations will have the opportunity to partner with the
Sunshine Kids team on race weekend. The Corporate Partnership Program is an
active way to encourage wellness, team building and charitable giving within
your organization and alongside other like-minded companies. For their
participation and fundraising efforts, team members will receive amenities that
will enhance their race weekend experience! We encourage you to partner with us
and have participants run the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half
Marathon or We Are Houston 5K.
For more information on the 2022 Corporate Partnership
Program and to find out how you can get involved, click here. Please reach out to shelby@sunshinekids.org with any
questions.
See below for a few special Sunshine Kids stories from their parents!
Manny
- Age: 11 years old
- Hometown: Katy, TX
- Favorite SSK Event: “Sunshine Kids Gingerbread Making and Holiday Event at the Sunshine Kids House”
- Favorite part about being a Sunshine Kid: "Being celebrated as a cancer survivor and the love that continues to be shown towards him and his family"
"Emmanuel
is an 11-year-old boy who was born with Down Syndrome. He loves to play the PS4
and outside with his friends. Emmanuel *Manny* (as we call him), was diagnosed
with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) July 28, 2011 when he was 1 1/2yrs old. He
did 6 rounds of inpatient chemotherapy. We were very scared and nervous to find
out our child had "cancer", but nonetheless we were ready for this
fight. The doctors reassured us from the beginning that because Manny has down
syndrome, his chances of beating this disease was great. Manny
quickly became somewhat of a famous person on the 9th floor of Texas Children's
Hospital. All the doctors, nurses, therapists and even the custodians loved
him. Manny was
able to beat cancer and was declared cancer-free on March 2, 2012. He is currently
8 1/2 years in remission and continues to have a positive impact on people, no
matter where he goes or whom he meets."
Nova
- Age 5
- Pearland, TX
"Nova
is a silly, kind and sassy 5-year-old warrior princess. She was diagnosed at
age 4 with Pineoblastoma. She loves dancing, flowers, sketching, painting and
riding her bike. The Sunshine Kids has brought her so much joy.
She
recently had the opportunity to read along with the author of Unicorn Day and meet
the Houston Astros mascot, Orbit. Her favorite memory with the Sunshine Kids
was the fun holiday party at the Children’s Museum. That night at the museum
was magical for all of us. With everything she had been through, it was
wonderful to see her light up.
We
are so grateful to the Sunshine Kids and the amazing donors for all they do to
bring so much joy to all of the little warriors and their families. Nova is
your typical little princess who just so happened to have faced a giant. Nova’s
last MRI shows no sign of cancer. She is our miracle."
Nolan
- Age: 8 years old
- Hometown: Fulshear, TX
- Favorite SSK Event: “Craig Biggio Baseball Party & the annual Holiday Party at the Children's Museum of Houston”
- Favorite part about being a SSK - "I get to be with all of my friends, and new ones that I get to meet! Everyone is so nice and feels like our family. I also love getting to hang out with Christian Covington before he moved, he is my friend. Sunshine Kids makes me happy and I don't think of my cancer when I am with them."
"In
April of 2014, just shy of his 2nd birthday at 22 months old, Nolan was
diagnosed with NHL (NonHodgkin Lymphoma) and B cell ALL Leukemia. Nolan began
to have some lymph nodes get bigger in size and then some nosebleeds and
bruising. After lots of scans and tests we decided to remove and biopsy one of
the largest lymph nodes that was growing. That was when we were told the news
there were Malignant cells found, and later told it was NHL. We were sent to
Texas Children's Hospital and more testing was done and he also had a lumbar
puncture, and we were told leukemia was found in there also. Nolan began a 3-year treatment protocol.
Nolan has been off treatment now for 3 years and is 8yrs old. He loves to play
lacrosse and flag football! You can always find him outside with friends and a
big ole smile on his face."
