The Holly Springs Police Department and the community are teaming together in Operation Aspiration, a fundraiser to support a local girl in her battle with cancer.
Operation Aspiration will benefit two-year-old Amber Lunn, a Holly Springs resident who is fighting retinoblastoma, cancer of the eyes. One medium and several small tumors were growing in Amber’s eyes when she was diagnosed in August 2013. Treatments included chemotherapy and the removal of one eye. Today, one small tumor remains. While the tumor is not growing, it continues to be monitored. Amber has already had her right eye removed, but is responding well to treatment to help her keep her left eye.
“The Police Department has conducted fundraisers before, but Operation Aspiration is the first time we’ve done something like this, where we’ve reached out to a family in Holly Springs to do something for them,” said Captain Michael Patterson. Patterson is organizing the event with Lieutenant Drew Humphries and the support of the Police Department.
The idea to help a local family originated because Patterson, Humphries and their fellow officers wanted to reach into the community and do something for the Town.
“We kind of stumbled across Amber, and when we read her story, that was all it took,” Patterson said. “She’s so young, and she’s so strong through her fight with this. That’s the biggest thing for me – to be so little and have such a great attitude and be so resilient.”
The Operation Aspiration fundraiser includes several parts: ongoing T-shirt sales and a drive for sponsors and raffle items; and September 6 events that include a fitness competition at CrossFit Zeal in the Holly Springs Business Park, and My Way Palooza at My Way Tavern in downtown Holly Springs.
T-Shirt sales: Operation Aspiration T-shirts are on sale for $20. The shirts are available for purchase at the Holly Springs Police Station at 110 West Ballentine Street during administrative hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Cash and checks are accepted.
Fitness competition, raffle and food sales: Up to 20 three-person teams will compete in various fitness challenges at CrossFit Zeal September 6, beginning at 8 a.m. The competition is open to any team who wants to participate, and teams must include one female member. The team entry fee is $150. To register, email Patterson at mike.patterson@hollyspringsnc.us. Also, during the competition, a raffle and food sales will raise funds for Amber.
My Way Palooza: My Way Palooza, an annual event at My Way Tavern downtown, will benefit Operation Aspiration. The September 6 event will be held from 1-10 p.m. and will include bands and a cornhole tournament hosted by the American Cancer Society.
Sponsors and donations: The Police Department is seeking sponsors (sponsorships range from $75-$200) and raffle item donations. So far, raffle donations have included everything from a television to hair styling. Interested in donating to or sponsoring Operation Aspiration? Email Patterson at mike.patterson@hollyspringsnc.us.
Proceeds from all the events will go directly to Amber’s family to use for medical expenses as the family travels to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC every 4-5 weeks.
Already, through sponsor donations and T-shirt sales, the Police Department has raised $8,000. The Police Department has set a goal of raising $15,000.
“We love reaching out to the community,” Patterson said. “We love folks seeing a side of us they don’t often see, the side that isn’t writing tickets and showing up to take people to jail.”
For more information, Patterson can be reached by email at mike.patterson@hollyspringsnc.us or by phone at (919) 567-4705.
Sponsors
So far, in addition to the Police Department, CrossFit Zeal and My Way Tavern, Operation Aspiration sponsors include: Village Physical Therapy * LFM Enterprises * Holly Springs Family Dentistry * Megs Smile * Kristen Fritz DDS MS * East Coast Electronics * Dressen Medical Supply * Salon Bedazzle * Sunset Ridge Racquet and Swim Club * Reward Builders * OFM * Holly Springs Eye Care Associates * Main Street Dentistry * Relevé Dancewear * Parrish Womble * Holly Springs Vehicle Service * Mayor Dick & Mollie Sears * Tri City Family Medicine * Link USA LLC * Khara Orthodontics * Super Cuts * Eye Care Associates * Holly Springs Counseling Center * Sonshine Gymnastics * Holly Springs Restaurant * Lifetime Learning Center * Anderson Chiropractic * Sninski Schmitt Family Dentistry * Holly Springs Barber Shop * ACME Pizza * Bateman Civil Survey Co. * Corrugated Container * Warp Technologies * Fox Publishing
About Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is the most common form of eye cancer affecting children. Retinoblastoma generally occurs before the age of five. If detected early, and with current therapies, retinoblastoma is fatal in less than 5% of cases. However, most children suffer some form of visual impairment, ranging from moderate vision loss to blindness. Often the best chance for cure is removal of the child’s eye(s). The earlier that retinoblastoma is detected and treated, the greater the opportunity to limit vision loss and preserve eyes.
The most common indicator of retinoblastoma is leukocoria, a white cat’s eye reflex in the pupil, most often evident in flash photography, as illustrated on the photo on the side of this
page. If a white reaction is noticed in your child’s eye an urgent referral to an ophthalmologist should be sought. Other less indicative symptoms of retinoblastoma include an inward or outward turning of the eye (strabismus) or redness or swelling of the eye. Anyone noticing these symptoms in their child should follow up with a medical practitioner as soon as possible.
