Kites will once again fly high above Hampton Beach as the community comes together for Exeter Hospital’s 9th annual Kites Against Cancer event on Sunday, May 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. near the Oceanfront Pavilion. This uplifting family event invites community members to spend an afternoon at the beach surrounded by family, friends and neighbors in support and in memory of those affected by cancer.
The event kicks off with Zumba® at 11:00 a.m. followed by a dedication ceremony at noon which Samantha Russo, Miss New Hampshire 2013, will take the stage and sing in honor of cancer survivors and those lost to cancer. Event festivities feature family-friendly activities, including kite flying and decorating, face painting, raffles, refreshments, music provided by Z107, and more. Raffle prizes have been generously donated by area businesses, including concert tickets to the Lady Gaga concert at Fenway Park, donated by IHeartMedia. Bank of New Hampshire and NewDay Solutions are this year’s Platinum Level sponsors.
Kites Against Cancer holds a special place in Derry, N.H. resident Tammy Symons’ heart. Her mother, who lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in 2010, loved Hampton Beach and requested her family attend Kites Against Cancer after her passing as a celebration of her life. Tammy shares, “My mother had such a love for the beach and ocean – so being able to fly a kite in her memory at this event brings us great peace. We look forward to it every year and are happy to give back to patients at the hospital where my mom was treated.”
As in past years, kites will be available to decorate or personalize in memory or honor of a loved one. The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, whose leading radiation and medical oncologists provide care for patients at Exeter Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care, will be attending the event with their Everyday Amazing Mobile. Attendees are encouraged to stop by and share what “everyday amazing” means to them, as well as share the name of someone in their lives whom they consider to be amazing.
Special kites will be available the day of the event, as well as at various Seacoast locations beginning in mid-April. Community members will receive a complimentary kite with each $10 donation to support The Beyond the Rainbow Fund at Exeter Hospital. Virtual kites are also available online.
Proceeds from the event benefit The Beyond the Rainbow Fund, an initiative demonstrating the hospital’s United in Wellness commitment to patients, their families and our community. Founded in 2002 by Anne-Marie Viviano, a former Hampton resident and patient at Exeter Hospital, The Beyond the Rainbow Fund provides financial assistance and support to patients in need at Exeter Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care. Donations to this fund provide assistance with expenses such as groceries, utilities, gas, and rent/mortgage payments, as well as any other practical needs that may become unmanageable during their treatment. The Fund also provides additional support by offering integrative therapy such as massage, as well as wellness and fitness programs that further assist patients in their healing.
“We are so grateful to those who support Kites Against Cancer and The Beyond the Rainbow Fund so we can continue to provide this valuable resource for many of our patients undergoing treatment,” said Jane Peterson, director of radiation oncology for The Center for Cancer Care. “This Fund helps lessen some of the extraneous stressors so patients in need can further focus on their health and families.”
Click here to learn more about the event.