Community Rallies for Pediatric Cancer Patients During Ava May Day Fundraiser 

As communities across the nation recognize Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month this September, the Hedgesville Youth Football League’s Ava May Day fundraiser once again demonstrated the power of community, compassion, and connection in supporting local families facing childhood cancer. 

That connection was made possible in part through the efforts of Kayla Mysliwiec, nurse manager of outpatient oncology and infusion at Berkeley Medical Center and a volunteer with the football league. Through her involvement with both organizations, Kayla helped bring together community members and the WVU Hospitals East Foundation to support local pediatric cancer patients and their families. 

This year’s event, established in memory of Ava May, also highlighted the journey of Layla, a local child courageously undergoing cancer treatment. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the WVU Hospitals East Foundation Pediatric Cancer Comfort Fund, which helps families with expenses such as medications, transportation, meals, and other essential needs during treatment. 

Through pediatric oncology support services available at the WVU Cancer Institute on the campus of Berkeley Medical Center, some pediatric cancer patients can receive laboratory work, transfusions, and certain infusion services closer to home, reducing travel demands for families already navigating complex treatment schedules. For families like Layla’s, access to care closer to home means fewer miles on the road and more time focused on healing and being together. 

“As both a nurse leader and a volunteer with the football league, I’ve seen firsthand how much our community involvement impacts children,” said Kayla Mysliwiec. “Bringing the league and the Foundation together felt like a natural way to make a difference. Knowing these funds will help local children and families while also raising awareness about services available close to home makes this partnership especially meaningful.” 

“On behalf of the WVU Hospitals East Foundation, I am incredibly grateful to the Hedgesville Youth Football League, Kayla, our dedicated team members, volunteers, sponsors, and every community member who supported this special event,” said Jeannie Constable, Vice President of Marketing and Philanthropy for WVU Hospitals East. “It truly takes a village to support a child and family facing cancer, and we’re proud to help connect the people, organizations, and resources that make up that village. The funds raised through events like Ava May Day help ease some of the burdens families experience during treatment, whether that’s assistance with transportation, meals, medications, or other everyday needs. Seeing our community come together in support of local children is incredibly moving and serves as a powerful reminder that no family should face this journey alone.” 

Supporting Patients Beyond the Bedside 

The WVU Hospitals East Foundation works to strengthen health care across the Eastern Panhandle by funding programs, services, equipment, and patient assistance initiatives that help meet needs beyond traditional medical care. The Foundation’s Pediatric Cancer Comfort Fund specifically supports local children and families facing cancer diagnoses, helping address practical challenges that can arise throughout treatment. 

Community fundraising events such as Ava May Day play a vital role in ensuring those resources remain available for families when they need them most. To learn more about the WVU Hospitals East Foundation or to support this fund, visit our website.