IrishTHON Raises Over $3,300 for Local Cancer Organization

On February 8, Central Catholic students and staff raised $3,366 at IrishTHON, a student-led fundraising event and an evening of fun and fellowship.  Students raised money through sponsorships from families, friends, and alumni donors.  All donations go directly to Catching Up With Jack, a local organization committed to helping kids battling cancer as well as supporting research to find a cure.   

“IrishTHON is such an important tradition for Central Catholic because it is one of the many ways that we come together as a school to support not only those in need, but those in our own local community,” said Alivia Fineske, CCHS senior and member of the IrishTHON Core Team.  “Leadership and charity are two qualities that Central Catholic desires to instill in its students, and opportunities like these really prove that to be true. Participating in IrishTHON allows students and their families to have a positive impact on the life of someone who is in need of our support.”

Alivia is closely tied to the organization that the IrishTHON supported this year.  After her brother, Jack, lost his battle with pediatric brain cancer in 2015, Alivia’s family decided to view their loss to not only raise awareness for childhood cancer, but also to support the families who would soon go through the long road of hospital treatment they had experienced themselves.  Their mission at Catching Up With Jack is to help build and grow the Kingdom of God by sharing Jack’s story.  They do this by raising money to support research for a cure and to help financially support local families going through pediatric cancer.  They are beyond grateful for the support of the Irish Nation in their efforts to accomplish these goals. 

“I was so excited when I found out that the proceeds from IrishTHON this year would go to Catching Up With Jack!” Alivia said.  “I think this says a lot about the kind of community we have built here at Central Catholic.  From the moment I arrived here, I could see the care and family-like bonds at the core of this school's values as I noticed people always asking me questions and wanting to know more.  I am proud to be a Central Catholic student, and I am especially grateful for the community I have here that supports my family and our efforts to make a difference in the lives of those around us.”

The students invited two speakers to IrishTHON to talk about the importance of the fundraising event.  Andrew Nell is a board member for Catching Up with Jack, and he shared Jack's story with the students and how his impact is still living on today through this foundation and its ability to help families in need and to fund research.  Corri Stanley (Class of 2003) is a former Central Catholic teacher and head girls’ basketball coach whose son has been fighting T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.  She spoke about the impact of childhood cancer on her family, the support that they received from Catching Up with Jack, and how that moved her to start the Colton Strong Kids organization.

“This event is the largest student-run fundraising event,” said Kylee Stewart, CCHS biology teacher and one of the IrishTHON advisors.  “It's a very non-traditional way for our students to do community service.  They get to spend time together, raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer, and also hear from community members about the issues that they are facing and what we can do to help.  This year was our first year running independently, and we are very pleased with the outcome.”  Central Catholic previously partnered with the University of Toledo's RockeTHON dance marathon for this fundraiser.

CCHS students created the IrishTHON in 2019 as a way for Central Catholic to do more community outreach, not only for our surrounding neighbors, but for the city of Toledo as a whole.  Since its inception, the event has raised over $50,000 to help local families.

Anyone who still wishes to donate to this worthy cause may do so by clicking HERE or by scanning the QR code.