ALTOONA – This isn’t something you hear every day: Cancer survivors in Altoona are coming together to help others who are currently fighting for their lives.
"Wishing you joy and peace at Christmas and throughout the new year, from the Brian Morden Foundation," Abigail Miller read from a card she signed.
From cheerful notes, to Christmas candy, current cancer patients will be getting it all.
"It makes me happy because other people can get treats like I did," cancer survivor Addison Zearfaus said.
The Brian Morden Foundation focusing on children fighting cancer by giving gifts for the holidays. The foundation started 2003 when 19-year-old Brian battled cancer for more than two years. He died in February of 2003 but his family started the foundation to help others beat the disease.
The love and affection is coming from kids who just beat cancer themselves.
"Our daughter was diagnosed with leukemia about two and a half years ago," Addison’s father Mark Zearfaus said.
After being on the patient side, Blair County kids and their families are excited to help others.
"It's very good because it is an encouragement to the ones that are going through that,” Zearfaus said. “And I know that because they were an encouragement to us when we were going through it."
The Zearfaus' family say the hope and success stories helped them push through.
According to health officials every day -- 43 children are diagnosed with cancer and with the numbers growing residents hope to continue this tradition.
"We're going to stay with the Brian Morden Foundation and help them out for as long as we can and for a good long time," Zearfaus said.
The foundation has been doing this project for 15 years and for 12-year-old Abigail Miller this is nothing new.
"I was in the hospital for one holiday and it was a struggle because I wanted to be with my family," cancer survivor Miller said.
Miller was diagnosed with a kidney cancer around 2012. She's been cancer-free for about seven years now and says she just wants to put a smile on other faces.
"I want to tell the kids that are still in the hospital and struggling that they will make it and they're in our prayers every night,” Miller said.
The members of the foundation will start delivering the gifts in person next week. They made of gifts baskets for children’s hospitals across the state that will be sent in time for Christmas. Some of the hospitals include: Pittsburgh, Philly, Hersey and Danville.
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