BURRILLVILLE – A Pascoag family received support this week from a Massachusetts-based organization that provides assistance to the caregivers of children fighting cancer.
Cops for Kids with Cancer presented $5,500 to the family of 11-year-old Jaelynn Deschamps in a gathering at the Burrillville Police Department.
Deschamps was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the age of 9 and has spent the past two years receiving treatment at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
Founded in Boston in 2002, the organization works with hospital liaisons to identify families in need of support and collaborates with local police departments to deliver the funding. Organizers note that it’s fitting to deliver the aid surrounded by others who have answered the call to serve.
“Helping people is what we do,” said Kevin Calhan, a retired lieutenant with the Massachusetts State Police who now sits on the organization’s board of directors. “Law enforcement do care about the community they serve.
Calhan noted that in its early years, Cops for Kids with Cancer raised funds for hospitals.
“They found that there was a need for families,” he said. “They started giving money directly to the families.”
The group now supports around 10 families a month disbursing more than $500,000 in needed aid a year, with more than $6 million donated throughout the organization’s history. Funding comes from multiple sources, Calhan said, from corporate donors to Boston Marathon runners and various events throughout the year.
“Anything we can do to raise money, we’ll do it,” he said.
On Friday, Calhan presented a bag filled with goodies to Deschamps including a teddy bear and a handmade quilt, while her mother, Jenna Deschamps, accepted the donation. Around a dozen BPD staff members including uniformed officers attended the brief ceremony, and Police Chief Col. Stephen Lynch noted that many had come in on their day off to show their support.
“We think the world of the courage you have,” said Lynch told Deschamps. “We here at the Burrillville Police Department will be here for anything you need.”
