Local residents come together for startup nonprofit

When 7-year-old Allen ISD student Carson Richardson lost his battle with cancer in 2010, his family was devastated -- but not enough to end the fight against the disease that claimed their son's life.

In October 2011, a group consisting of Carson's family and friends came together as Carson's Crusaders, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing travel assistance and sibling support to the families of children diagnosed with solid tumor cancers.

"You don't move on, but you know you've got to move forward, and I think that's what we've tried to do," said Kimberly Richardson, Carson's mother. "We've tried to make something good out of what's happened, because that's what Carson would want, and I say that all the time. If he were here, this is what he would be doing. He's not here, so we're going to do it for him."

Carson was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of pediatric liver cancer that also manifested in his lungs, at age 3. What followed was a three-year-long journey in which Carson had only four months of remission and endured more than 50 rounds of chemotherapy, six major surgeries, radiation treatment and dozens of blood transfusions.

During Carson's illness, his family received an outpouring of support from their friends and neighbors through their church, Cottonwood Creek Baptist, and school, Boon Elementary. The largest fundraising effort was held five weeks before Carson's death at Cottonwood Creek, where more than $40,000 was raised to pay for a trip to Guatemala for what would be Carson's last treatments. The funds also ended up paying for his funeral arrangements.

It was this kind of support that inspired the Richardsons to pool their resources together to form the nonprofit.

"We had so much help and so many supporters and so many people loving us, and at the same time we would go into the hospital and see families and moms and dads and kiddos who didn't have that," Kimberly said. "We never took that for granted, but in our community we live in and our church, I think you get to a point where you assume that everybody has that ... and that's not the case."

Ultimately, the nonprofit will provide families making frequent clinic and hospital trips with gas cards and organize special events for the siblings of sick children, who often suffer from a lack of attention during the illness and treatments.

While the nonprofit has not began operations, its nine-member board is in the process of raising money to launch benefits through Medical City of Dallas, Children's Medical Center of Dallas and Cook's Children's Hospital in January 2013.

"There are a lot of programs and services and a lot of awareness for cancers such as leukemia, but with rare solid tumors like Carson's, there's not as much research out there and not a lot of support for the families and their siblings," said Cindy Roach, the board member in charge of marketing. "He's special because he was just always so brave and always wanted everyone to be happy around him. I think that's why he touched so many people."

The first of such fundraising efforts has been through the Allen Sports Association, an organization through which Carson played baseball throughout his illness. This spring, baseball teams throughout the league were asked to go out into the community and raise pledges together, ultimately earning a combined $33,000.

In addition, ASA coaches were given Carson Coins, which they are encouraged to give to a member of an opposing team who demonstrated endurance, courage and heart after each game.

Kimberly said the idea for the coins came from Carson's insistence on continuing to play ball after his diagnosis, even as his abilities became increasingly handicapped by complications such as foot drop.

"He never stopped," Kimberly said. "He never said 'I don't want to bat because I'm afraid I'm going to get thrown out.' It never occurred to him. He was out there to play ball, to be with his team and he gave it 100 percent every single time. So that's what we want to instill in these boys."

The organization has two more fundraising events planned for this year, including a Carson's Crusaders Foundation Night at the June 24 Frisco RoughRiders game and a Sept. 6 wine tasting and live auction.

For information about the foundation and instructions on how to donate, visit carsonscrusadersfoundation.org.

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