Santa Night Raises Funds for Cervical Cancer Awareness

Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with two dozen elves went caroling at multiple Montclair restaurants Friday to raise money for the New Jersey Chapter of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NJ-NCCC). 

Sandy Fischer, chapter leader, said a total of $8,500 was collected between online donations and donations collected on Santa Night.

The mission of the NCCC is to help educate and raise awareness about cervical cancer and HPV, the virus that can lead to cervical cancer. 

"We provide information on vaccines that help prevent HPV as well as provide resources for people that are suffering from the disease and their families," Fischer said.

This year's Santa Night fell on the sixth anniversary of Fischer losing her 36-year-old sister Cary Anne Cowan to cervical cancer.

Last October, Fischer told Dr. Oz on a segment called The Shocking Truth About HPV how by the time her sister was diagnosed it was too late.

“What we didn't know at the time was that cervical cancer was caused by untreated HPV that over years had developed into cancer, and the fact that she didn't have her annual pap smears lead to her unfortunate death,” said Fischer.

“What we also didn't know was that when detected early cervical cancer can be 100% curable.”