Dylan Olsen, de 6 años, que padece sarcoma de Ewing, posa con su familia tras la inauguración anual del Mes de Sensibilización sobre el Cáncer Infantil en la Red Dorada del Este de Texas (Gold Network of East Texas) el martes por la noche. (Raquel Villatoro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Under a white tent with gold balloons and twinkling lights on the downtown Tyler square, the Gold Network of East Texas kicked off Childhood Cancer Awareness Month on Tuesday.

As part of the kickoff, guests enjoyed free Chick-fil-A, drinks, live jazz music and games. Families, community members and supporters gathered and cheered as hero children walked down the gold carpet.

Tyler Junior College cheerleaders with yellow and black pom-poms cheered for the heroes as they walked down the carpet. Some did cartwheels, high-fived cheerleaders or strutted the carpet.

“Just seeing these amazing kids and letting them have their moment [is my favorite part],” said Heather Rucker, Gold Network of East Texas founder and executive director. “This is a night just for them.’

Rucker founded the network in 2015 to help support kids like hers who were going through cancer. The goal of the Gold Network of East Texas is to raise awareness for childhood cancer and foster community.

“We want people to know that childhood cancer is greatly under-recognized and underfunded,” Rucker said. “Out of the National Cancer research budget, childhood cancer, all types together, receive less than 4% of the national budget, so we’re trying to raise awareness. We try to raise funds and just a community of support for these families so they know that they’re not going through this journey alone.”

For attendees, having a community of support is important. Cancer survivors Aileen Mancilla, 20, Aneesa Cedillo, 19, and Christian Rodolfo Arroyo Veliz, 21, have been coming to the kickoff since 2016.

Cedillo was diagnosed at 6 years old with ewing sarcoma. Her mom, Joanna Cedillo, 39, remembers feeling disbelief. She felt as if her heart dropped.

“As a parent, you’re trying to stay strong for your kid, and all you wish is to take their pain, their suffering, what they’re going through, away,” Joanna said. “So they don’t have to go through it.”

Now Aneesa, an Early College High School graduate, is 12 years cancer free and studying education at UT Tyler.

After walking to their car from a doctor’s appointment, Tyler resident Christian Ronaldo Arroyo Veliz, 21, and his mom were asked to come back.

What they thought was a regular checkup turned out to be cancer. Veliz was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic cancer at 9 years old on April 22, 2013.

“I caught it early, so it’s gonna be able to be treated perfectly fine, but still, just knowing that I had cancer really broke me,” Veliz said

Veliz went straight to Children’s Center in Dallas to start treatment and chemotherapy. He was homeschooled, had to wear a mask and take many medications. He felt isolated and like he was “not able to feel like a little kid.”

Although it was difficult for Veliz and his family, they were able to get through it thanks to God and support from family. About two years later after starting treatment, Veliz was declared cancer free.

In 2024, about 9,620 children 14 and under and 5,290 adolescents, 15 to 19, will be diagnosed with cancer. In addition, cancer is the leading cause of death for children. About 14% of children die within 5 years of diagnosis, according to the Children’s Cancer Cause.

On the wall of pictures of hero children is Veliz’s friend Michael Reed whom he lost to cancer. “He was like a brother to me,” said Veliz.

During the kickoff, Reed’s name was read aloud and gold balloons were released to honor those who died from childhood cancer.

After Maria Mancilla noticed something was not right with her daughter Aileen, they went to the emergency room. She had blood in her urine and her stomach was swollen.

Aileen was diagnosed with stage 4 Wilms’ tumor or kidney cancer at 5 years old. The tumor metastasized to her lungs. She received chemotherapy for eight months and radiation to the lungs and the area of the tumor.

Fourteen years later, Aileen is cancer-free and studying to be a nurse at Tyler Junior College in pediatric oncology. Although she is cancer-free, she still has to go to specialists in Dallas due to the aggressive treatment she received. The treatment makes her at risk for five different cancers.

“I’m not not happy I got cancer, but I’m grateful for it so I can help spread awareness for it,” Aileen said.

Tyler residents Bryce Olsen and Teagan Olsen came out to the kickoff for the first time with their daughter Dylan Olsen, 6. As part of the kickoff, a dance was dedicated to Dylan. Gold ribbons were twirled and dancers, including one of their daughters, lunged and danced to various songs.

This was their first time attending a Gold Network event after going through Dylan’s treatment. She had 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 10 rounds of radiation at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.

“It’s been cool and welcoming, and we’re grateful for everything they’ve done,” Bryce said. “Everything was great. Watching my daughter dance was special.”

For more information on the Gold Network visit, https://goldnetworkoet.com/. At 8 a.m. Sept. 21, the Gold Network will host their annual Gold Run at Bergfeld Park, 1510 S. College Ave. in Tyler. For those interested, register here at https://www.active.com/tyler-tx/running/distance-running-races/east-texas-gold-run-2024.