Brenda Mehdian staff writer

The Teens Curing Cancer Club (TCC) and Service Learning are collaborating to raise money for Childhood Cancer Awareness month. The event, Answer 4 Cancer, began on Sept. 23 and will last through Sept. 27. The two clubs will be collecting money during sixth period classes.

Senior Yaniv Sadka began Teens Curing Cancer in the summer of 2012 when a camper of his was diagnosed with lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer of the white blood cell in which the body’s immune system and ability to fight off diseases is worn down. When his camper and good friend lost his battle with cancer, Sadka decided to help to cause of cancer research.

“Although I was heartbroken, rather than sit idly by, I was motivated to make a difference. That is when I started TCC to help raise funds for the research of all childhood cancers,” Sadka said.

Sadka, who is also a member of Service Learning, proposed his collaboration idea to a fellow Service Learning member.

“Yaniv came up to me in the beginning of the year and told me about his organization and how he wanted to get the school involved,” senior Service Learning member Simon Hedvat said.

The idea for how to fundraise came up when Service Learning thought back on past fundraisers. Fundraising during sixth period had been the most effective and efficient method in the past so Service Learning and TCC decided to take that approach.

Collaborating with Service Learning allowed TCC to reach a larger audience in its mission to collect funds for cancer research. Additionally, collaboration gave TCC the opportunity to unify the members of the Service Learning class and the entire student body in a community service project.

Sadka believes the Awareness 4 Cancer event is important because it enables teenagers to be active in the cancer community and raises childhood cancer awareness. According to Sadka, less than one percent of all money collected for cancer research is for childhood cancer research, yet in America childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15.

TCC and Service Learning hope to raise 1000 dollars within the week and will be throwing a Diddy Riese cookie party for the class that raises the greatest amount of money.