Loveland High School Freshman Raising $100K for Pediatric Cancer Research

Galaxy Cookies Fundraiser Benefitting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer

In an effort to fund the research that gives children battling cancer hope, young Loveland resident Daniela Ortiz will host her 7th annual bake sale, kicking off Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, on Sunday, September 4, and Monday, September 5 from 10 am to 2 pm, 4195 Lyric Falls Court. At the age of 7, Daniela became involved with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through her mom—diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in 2019—who told her she could do a bake sale for a good cause after receiving cookies from us.

When she raised $400 her first year, she knew it was the beginning of something bigger. She immediately started brainstorming ways she could grow and expand her bake sale to make an even bigger difference and ‘Galaxy Cookies‘ came to life. Through Galaxy Cookies, Daniela brings together her passion for space and her desire to be an aerospace engineer (which started in the 3rd grade!) with her love for baking and wanting to give back. This is what fuels her annual bake sale. Last year, after raising over $22,000 for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, Daniela met with our founder, Gretchen Holt-Witt. Gretchen challenged Daniela to raise enough money to fund a grant by the time she graduates high school and that’s exactly what Daniela has set out to do starting with this year’s fundraiser as she begins her freshman year of high school this week.

Through the concept of local events and online cookie sales, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has granted over $18 million to date, funding more than 100 research projects that have led to 25 new treatments becoming available for children battling cancer today. The organization inspires individuals, organizations, and businesses to join in the fight against pediatric cancer by raising the funds for new, improved, and less toxic treatments.

Since Cookies for Kids’ Cancer launched in 2008, there have been more than 15,000 events in all 50 states and 24 countries. Grants are peer-reviewed by a scientific advisory board of esteemed pediatric cancer oncologists, with funds going directly to the leading pediatric cancer institutions in the country including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, and Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

In addition, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is the largest single donor to the Children’s Oncology Group Phase I Consortium project with a donation twice the amount that the Federal Government allocates per child enrolled. The organization has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, Today Show, Good Morning America, NY Daily News, Family Circle Magazine, and dozens of other local and national media outlets. In addition, the organization has received several national awards for its work.