Classmates Honor Girl Who Lost Her Battle with Cancer: Video

KATY, TX -- Students at Katy Taylor High School honored a fellow classmate on Wednesday who lost her battle with cancer in August by wearing gold to raise awareness for childhood cancer.

Lilli Curry was only 16 when she succumbed to Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer,
on Aug. 4.

Her tragic death ended a five year battle she’d fought with the help of her family, classmates, and her Girl Scout troop.

“She was kind, caring, considerate," said Diane Pakel, Lilli's Girl Scout troop leader. "She always wanted to help everyone."

Earlier this year, Curry became the first Girl Scout to receive an honorary Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts.

The award was given to Curry by the the San Jacinto Council gave because they weren't sure if she could complete the requirements while going through such rigorous medical treatments.

Her final wish to raise awareness to for childhood cancer became her crusade, and the catalyst for her Gold Award service project.

Lilli was excited about her project.

A little more than a week before her death, she sent emails expressing her excitement about the video and being able to show classmates in September in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

However, the disease claimed her life before the project was finished.

"She was not ready to stop treatment because she knew what that meant," said Lilli's mother, Kay Curry.

Out of respect and love for their friend, Lilli’s classmates finished her video, which was shown at school and posted on YouTube.

At the start of the video, Lilli talks about her battle and the surprise that so few people understand that cancer has no age limit, color barrier or status in life.

Childhood cancer is in no way similar to adult cancer,” she said. “It has to be treated very differently...which makes it harder. The lack of awareness, I know is devastating on me and on every single child who has cancer…”

In 2014, there were 15,780 new cases of childhood cancer and 1,960 deaths among children ages newborn to 19 were projected from childhood cancers, and yet there is still very little funding for research.
According to cancer.gov, less than 5 percent of the federal government’s total funding for cancer research is dedicated to childhood cancers each year.

The idea is that more awareness will lead to more funding. In the last 20 years, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved three drugs specifically for the treatment of childhood cancer. That leaves cancer patients like Lilli with few new options.

"Hug your kids because, you know, when they're gone, it's very sad," said John Curry.

There are a number organizations to make contributions for those who wish to make donations, including:

1. The Lilli Curry Memorial Fund - . With funds from The Lilli Curry Memorial Fund, The Rutledge Foundation (https://rutledgefoundation.org) is sponsoring new research on a Ewing’s Sarcoma treatment that is 93 percent effective in lab mice. The drug attacks the Ewing’s Sarcoma at the point where two genes fuse and then pulls the genes apart.

2. St. Baldrick’s Foundation - . It is the largest non-profit raising funds exclusively to fight childhood cancer.

3. Triumph Over Kid Cancer - The organization funds research, raises awareness and raises spirits to fight pediatric cancers. It was founded by James Ragan and his sister, Mecklin. James had osteosarcoma for seven years but still played golf for Rice University. His story is told in the documentary Until 20.

4. 1 Million 4 Anna - Named after Ewing’s Sarcoma patient Anna Basso, this group raises money for research and for university scholarships for students battling Ewing’s Sarcoma.

Image: Shutterstock

Video: YouTube