Mason’s mother, Andrea Woods, is pictured with Meredith Harrison, Donor Relations Manager, Ronald McDonald House Charities Central Ohio.
“Tackling Childhood Cancer” was the theme of an awareness campaign and food drive held during the freshman football game on Saturday morning, September 13 that pitted Westerville Central against Hilliard Davidson. The event was coordinated by freshman team parents along with Eddie and Andrea Woods in memory of their son, Mason Woods, who was a third grade student at Fouse Elementary School when he passed away on February 3, 2009, after a six-year battle with leukemia. He would have been a ninth grader at Central this year. Organizers plan to “carry Mason’s memory with us all the way to graduation.”
Admission cost two canned or boxed food items, which were donated to the Ronald McDonald House at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. A handmade Big 10 quilt was also raffled to raise money for the organization, as was a miniature Ohio State football helmet signed by Archie Griffin.
Each year, the parents of approximately 15,700 kids will hear the words, “Your child has cancer.” Across all ages, ethnic groups and socio-economics, this disease remains the number one cause of death by disease in children. Despite major advances – from an overall survival rate of 10 percent just 50 years ago to nearly 90 percent today, for many rare cancers, the survival rate is much lower. Furthermore, the number of diagnosed cases annually has not declined in nearly 20 years.
The Mason Woods Charitable Foundation is a 501 C-3 that operates primarily in the Columbus, Ohio area. It presently focuses on needs not met by some of the larger organizations. Since its inception more than five years ago, the group has donated more than $20,000 in food and gas cards to Nationwide Children’s Hospital patients. Mason’s Foundation has also purchased many other needed items for the Oncology floor, including video gaming equipment, games, toys, crafts and books. They also serve a meal once a month on the Oncology floor for patients and families, as well as sponsor other fun events for the patients. For further information, please visit
www.masonwoodscharitablefoundationinc.org.