Batavia proclaims Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; Cal’s Angels outlines family support and research grants

The Batavia City Council unanimously proclaimed September 2025 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, recognizing local nonprofit Cal’s Angels and urging residents to support affected families and pediatric cancer research.

The proclamation cited pediatric cancer as a leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States and described Cal’s Angels, a St. Charles‑based nonprofit founded in 2007, which provides wishes, financial assistance and research grants for families battling childhood cancer. The council adopted the proclamation by roll call (12 yes, 2 absent).

A Cal’s Angels representative who identified herself as the organization’s director of development described the charity’s three pillars — granting wishes, raising awareness and funding targeted research. She said the group provides immediate assistance (for example, a thermal bag of overnight essentials at diagnosis), extends wishes to siblings as well as the patient, and seeks research grants that demonstrate clear, translatable improvements in pediatric treatments. The group also partners with schools, restaurants and businesses during September awareness activities, and it sells reduced‑price T‑shirts and provides promotional materials to help schools stage “go gold” nights.

The presenter noted that only about 4 percent of federal research funding goes to childhood cancer and said Cal’s Angels concentrates fundraising on strategic projects with the potential to improve therapies. She encouraged local businesses to partner with the nonprofit and directed interested residents to calsangels.org for more information.

Council members and the mayor thanked Cal’s Angels for its work and encouraged community participation in awareness events and fundraising.