(WSIL) -- An upcoming event will get you up out of your seat and on the dance floor for a good cause.
Book for Hope is a local organization that helps support families in southern Illinois and western Kentucky who have a child battling cancer.
When the child is first diagnosed with cancer, the family receives an envelope with gifts cards for travel and lodging expenses.
Gaylon Hayden, the President and Founder of Book for Hope, says this initial is crucial since treatment is hours away.
"It's a $150 preloaded Visa card, a $50 restaurant card, and a $50 fuel card," Hayden explains. "Children can't be treated in western Kentucky nor southern Illinois, so travel becomes a way of life."
Children in southern Illinois often drive to Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis, which can be a trip for those who live in Metropolis or Brookport. While families in western Kentucky get referred to specialists in Nashville, Tennessee.
However Hayden says treatment takes place all over the country and stays can be months long.
Going forward, Book for Hope pays for one bill each month of the family's choosing as one parent often quit their jobs to become a full-time caretaker. This can be even more difficult for single parents.Ìý
To help support this mission, the organization is holding its Dancing for Gold event where participants get residents and local businesses to sponsor them with the goal of raising $10,000 each.
One of those dancers is Misty Reynolds, who wanted to participate after losing her husband to Leukemia. During his hospital stay they had talked about taking ballroom dance classes together, so Reynold felt like the opportunity was her husband telling her to keep the promise from up above.
Reynolds is dancing in his memory as well as a child named Owen Matthews. He passed away in the Fall of 2020 and his family used Book for Hope as a resource during his treatments.
"I found out he (Owen) was at Vanderbilt while I was at Vanderbilt with my husband," she explains. "We didn't meet at the time, but I would often go to the children's hospital because my days were long. I would go over there and kinda look just to see the things, and pray for those families and kids."Ìý
Reynold adds that she received a lot of support from family, friends and the community during her husband's battle and wanted to do the same for others.
"We said in his journey that we wanted to give back," she recalls. "Because the only thing harder would be to have a child with cancer."
Another dancer in this year's Dancing for Gold event is Susan Windhorst, who could relate to the stresses of traveling for treatment since she did the same with a loved one.
"My mother battled a terminal blood disorder for two years and we took her to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, "she remembers. "We took her to Vanderbilt as well as Andy Anderson in Houston. So I know the energy that goes into caring for and trying to stay positive for those that you love who are battling these types of illnesses."Ìý
Windhorst adds any donation helps and can help ease some stresses.
"I get emotional and it's not my child, so I can only imagine what it would be like for a parent," she says. "Just to help alleviate burdens of life that are going on back at home, I think that would be helpful."
You can support the cause by sponsoring a dancer or buying a diner table at the event, which is taking place on March 12th at the convention center in Paducah.
32% of all proceeds collected by Book for Hope also go to childhood cancer research.
To learn more about the organization and the Dancing for Gold event, .ÌýÌý
