|
Friday, June 20, 2008
Lupus fund-raiser at Hance Pavilion
By Jennifer Schaeffer
Staff Writer
Friday, June 20, 2008
PIQUA - This Saturday will be the second annual Family Fun Day for Lupus Awareness, to be held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Fountain Park.
The fund-raiser is to benefit 30-year-old Yvette Cooper, who discovered she had Lupus two years after graduating from Piqua High School.
There will be live performances, a live comedian, dance and music. The Cowgirl Express will be there with their horses as well as the Piqua Fire Department. They will be giving informative handouts to the kids. There also will be a cake walk, face painting and balloons.
"Every thing has been donated," said Chelsea Dawson, Cooper's cousin. "almost 100 percent."
There was a similar event held last year for the same cause, "but we weren't able to raise enough money. So, that's why we are holding it again this year," Dawson said.
According to Dawson, Cooper is in need of an operation to repair some of the negative effects of lupus. She is seeing loss of hair, cheek bone deterioration and has holes in her muscle tissue.
"Lupus is an immune disease where your immune system attacks your healthy tissue," Dawson said in explanation. "It doesn't wait for you to get sick." This is the reason why Cooper feels a lot of fatigue.
"The biggest issue and the reason why we need to have the fund-raiser is due to insurance," Dawson said. "She's only allowed to make a certain percentage a year."
The money raised at the fund-raiser will cover the medical expenses her insurance will not.
Also, Soak-N-Suds car wash, 1304 Ash St., Piqua, will donate money per car wash towards Cooper's cause from June 15-30.
"People just need to use the code '#78780' when they wash their car," Dawson said. "That will donate money towards our fund-raiser, and won't cost them any more per car wash."
Dawson said that when they didn't get enough funds for Cooper last year, they were very fortunate this year, because the community has shown a lot more support this year.
|