PROVO -- For the ninth year, the BYU men's basketball team joined the Children with Cancer Christmas Foundation in an effort to raise money for families who have children with cancer and participate in the Foundation's annual Christmas party for those families.
The Foundation has been collecting monetary donations and unwrapped toys since the beginning of December. One hundred percent of all donations to the Foundation went directly towards the Christmas party, which was held Wednesday for more than 90 families who have children with cancer living primarily in Utah County. A large portion of the money donated purchased hundreds of toys that will enable these parents to have gifts under the Christmas tree for their children. In addition to all of these toys, there was food, free entertainment, such as games and ornament decorating, and local celebrities including Santa, Cosmo and the BYU men's basketball team.
This is the ninth year BYU coaches, players and their families have volunteered for the Christmas party. BYU head coach Dave Rose served as Honorary Chairman for the third year.
"This has always been a cause I feel strongly about," said BYU coach Dave Rose. "It has been such a positive experience for the coaches, players and families and is a tremendous opportunity for community members to be involved in brightening the holiday season for these children."
Cheryl Rose, vice chairman of the Foundation and wife of coach Rose, discussed the challenges these families face financially and how the Foundation hopes to help these families now and in the future.
"For many of these families, it is financially impossible to always have food on the table, a roof over their heads or even have Christmas," Cheryl Rose said. "We want to create a Christmas experience that they will never forget and hopefully in the future help families meet those basic needs that they can't on their own."
In addition to the presents the families received, Rose said the event is also a blessing for all of those involved.
"This is the most exciting part of my job as the coach's wife," she said. "It's such a joy to be involved. Our lives are blessed so much by what happens here. We love these families and these children."
Of course, the party, which started with just 15 families 10 years ago, would not be possible without the donations made by community members.
"The support we get from the community makes this event possible," Cheryl Rose said. "We couldn't serve these children without the donations of time, money and gifts we receive. We even had some school children this year who drew pictures for the kids because they didn't have any money to donate but wanted to help. It's such an amazing experience to see the outpouring of love and support we get from the community. It really helps these parents know that they're not fighting this fight alone."