This Advent season, Valley Catholic is embracing the theme of hope and bringing it to life. Childhood cancer is a heartbreaking reality, and children facing this disease need a reason to hope that better medical treatments can restore them back to health. During the season of hope, our students will come together to raise funds for childhood cancer research, reflecting God’s promise to care for the sick and His call for us to share that hope with others.

This year as the Valley Catholic Elementary School Community we are excited to come alongside our students who have battled childhood cancer. To help spread awareness about childhood cancer, our school is participating in a read-a-thon this November and we invite you to join us in support. During the read-a-thon students will be setting goals and tracking their progress while raising funds to benefit the Sam Day Foundation. This local Portland-based foundation is on a mission to advance research in childhood cancer and ignite hope for kids with cancer.

Did you know that the National Cancer Institute spends on average only 4% of its research budget on all forms of childhood cancers? And yet, more kids die of cancer than any other disease in the United States. The Sam Day Foundation is on a mission to fill that gap by funding this desperately needed research.

In addition to the read-a-thon, students will participate in an assembly where they will learn more about childhood cancer and get a chance to hear from their Valley Catholic school peers who have battled cancer, alongside the Advent theme of HOPE.

In a spirit of compassion and generosity, the Valley Catholic Elementary School invites you to join us in helping to change the future of childhood cancer.

This fundraising effort will end on December 19th.

Learn more about the Sam Day Foundation HERE.

Valley Catholic Readathon 2025

By Sam Day Foundation

Valley Catholic Readathon 2025

Team Leaderboard

Team Members