Student helps battle childhood cancer by organizing Love Your Melon chapter
The admirable mission of Love Your Melon, a nonprofit effort to support children affected by cancer, was brought to the Ripon College campus by Kate Cichon ’19 of Menasha, Wisconsin, last year during her freshman year.
The student members host events to help raise funds for the organization, sells apparel and provides hats to children fighting cancer as well as survivors.
“We also take household visits to visit children who are battling or who have beaten cancer to give them an adventure and take their minds off of the hardship they are going through,” Cichon says.
Cichon knew that other campuses have Love Your Melon chapters, and she decided to start one after coming to Ripon. Finding members and an advisor and petitioning to Student Senate were challenges, but well worth overcoming, she says. Already, Ripon College’s Love Your Melon group has had success.
“This year, we sold more than 60 beanies on our online store, raising more than $900 for the foundations that Love Your Melon partners with,” Cichon says. “We also raised more than $100 this year for the Pinky Swear Foundation, a foundation that helps the finances of families who have children who are battling cancer. Finally, we went on one household visit where we gave beanies to a child who was celebrating three years of being cancer-free!” The club also has received strong student support with social media followings and attending events.
Cichon is hopeful about the future of Ripon’s Love Your Melon club, planning more events and ways to promote the club. “I love how this club has so much potential to help children, not just the club alone but the entire community,” she says. “People help us financially by buying a beanie, by liking our social media pages so others can see our mission, or just by coming to our events to see what we are all about. I love how much passion the crew has for this cause, and I am so excited to see where it is going to.”
Marshall Sohr ’18
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
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