Luketacular Online Celebrity Auction To Benefit Children with Cancer

The Luke Neuhedel Foundation is holding its second Luketacular Online Celebrity Auction from February 4 through 12. All proceeds from the online auction will directly benefit children fighting cancer in the US. Auction items can be viewed online at www.lukefund.org starting January 25th.

(PRWEB) January 6, 2006 -- The Luke Neuhedel Foundation is holding its second Luketacular Online Celebrity Auction from February 4 through 12. All proceeds from the online auction will directly benefit children fighting cancer in the US. Auction items can be viewed online at www.lukefund.org starting January 25th. Autographed items include donations from Jennifer Aniston, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dom Deluise, Carol Burnett, Julie Andrews, Kate Hudson, Orlando Bloom, Billy Joel, James Earl Jones, Donald Trump, Britney Spears, Arnold Palmer, Jesse McCartney, the 1986 NY Mets, the NY Islanders, a special animation cell of Mickey Mouse, to name just a sample of the offerings from entertainment, sports, and music celebrities. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Luke Neuhedel Foundation, dedicated to assisting children with cancer in the US. LNF grants 100% of all monies raised by LNF events to children.

The Luke Neuhedel Foundation is a 501c3 charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with cancer through grants and family fun events. LNF was established in memory of Luke Neuhedel, who died of hepatoblastoma, at age 3 in 2002, by Luke’s parents, siblings, and friends. LNF has provided aid, donations, and toys to thousands of kids fighting cancer in the United States. LNF is able to grant 100% of all funds directly to children with cancer because LNF is staffed entirely by volunteers. Many of the volunteers are young people, who donate their time to help their peers fight their deadly disease.

Luke’s parents, Paul and Rebecca, were inspired by their fight for Luke’s life and by the other parents they met on their journey. Fortunately, one of them was always able to stay with Luke during his months in the hospital, but some families cannot afford this luxury. Paul and Rebecca met parents who sacrificed a job to stay with their child, and faced financial devastation. Fortunately, Paul and Rebecca and Luke’s oncologist were of one mind in their fight for Luke, but some families have difficulty facing the emotional rollercoaster of caring for a dying child. They were also inspired by the parents of foster children they met, who worked not only to save their child’s life but to also legally adopt the child during their battle.

LNF works to raise awareness of children’s cancer, to draw attention to an often-neglected disease; Paul and Rebecca, college-educated parents of 4 when Luke was born, had never learned that children get cancer too. LNF works with social workers at US pediatric oncology centers to provide parents with financial assistance for anything treatment-related. This may include medical bills, food, hotel stays, rent, sibling child care, transportation, phone and utility bills, birthday wishes, and funeral expenses, to name a few. Finally, LNF plans several events each year specifically for children with cancer and their families, to create a day when they can feel special away from a hospital setting, and not because they have cancer, and to build happy memories.

LNF President and Luke’s mother, Rebecca Neuhedel, chose February 4th as the auction start date because February 4th is World Cancer Day. For 2006 the focus of World Cancer Day is on Children’s Cancer. Cancer is the #1 disease killer of children --- cancer kills more children than AIDS, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and congenital anomalies COMBINED (while these other diseases are just as life-threatening and devastating as cancer, more children are diagnosed with cancer and die from cancer annually). The incidence of children’s cancer is increasing at a rate of 1% every year. In fact, the rate of cancer in young adults and teens is increasing at a greater rate than any other cancer, including breast, prostrate, and lung. Great strides have been made in the past 40 years to improve treatments available to children but, like most cancers, there is no cure for any child’s cancer. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation have more devastating effects on children because of a child’s body size and age. The two-thirds of children who do survive their cancer remain at risk to life-altering, sometimes debilitating, side effects and secondary cancers as an adult.

Cancer in children has no known cause, and is usually not diagnosed in its early stages --- who would think a child can get cancer? Cancers in children includes leukemia (a blood cancer, the most common), osteosarcoma (bone), Ewing’s Sarcoma (pelvic bones), hepatoblastoma (liver), neuroblastoma (nervous system), rhabdomysarcoma (muscles), retinoblastoma (eyes), Wilms tumor (kidneys), to name a few. Focus on children’s cancer research benefits both children and adults. Studies done on treatments for children, such as those Luke Neuhedel underwent the last 6 months of his life, provide insight into treatments for any person diagnosed with cancer, regardless of age. Treatments tried by children, not because they are considered “lab rats” but because parents and doctors often find themselves left with very few options for a cure and are open to new ideas, often lead not only to new cancer treatments for adults, but optional treatments for other diseases such as spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

The Luke Neuhedel Foundation thanks all the celebrities who answered the letters written by their fans to make donations to LNF for this auction. The donation letters were written by LNF’s President Rebecca Neuhedel and young adult volunteers. It’s never too late to donate; all autographed donations will benefit a child with cancer. LNF can be contacted at: Luke Neuhedel Foundation, PO Box 137, Massapequa Park NY 11762. LNF’s President, Rebecca Neuhedel, can be contacted at 516-882-9183. The Luketacular Online Celebrity Auction items can be viewed at www.lukefund.org.

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