Two TMS Students are Finalists for the Governor’s Point of Light Award

The Governor's Points of Light Award is "the highest honor bestowed by the Governor of Nevada and Nevada Volunteers to celebrate the individuals and organizations who model Nevada values of service, responsibility, cooperation and compassion, and the power of partnership that makes Nevada a better place to live." There are multiple categories, including the Under 18 Individual Youth Volunteer category. Robert Barsel and Beverly Wang are two of the three finalists for the award. Participants are evaluated on the sum of all of their work as it relates to their specific project. You can find more information about the awards and projects here.

Robert and Beverly describe their volunteer organizations and projects:

Robert Barsel:

My project's goal is to teach kids how to approach their mental health by doing the following: running peer support groups, creating a free mental health workbook, and working to pass legislation to improve the mental health education curriculum in Nevada. If you'd like to view the workbook, please use the link below and spread it to anyone who you feel can benefit from it.(https://www.copingkids.org/single-project).

Beverly Wang:

Cancer Kids First Nevada is an official state chapter of Cancer Kids First, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Each chapter is linked through our parent organization, however, we customize each chapter and their programs based on their community’s needs. Essentially, we are independent organizations that share a common mission and an EIN number.

Our main way of supporting the warriors in our community, as we call them, is our “wish” program. Our wish program is our way of showing our love for every little fighter in our community. Each wish package contains about $100 worth of items that the cancer-fighting warriors wish for, hence the name “wish package.” While our warriors are going through chemo, treatments or waiting for test results, our wish packages serve as wonderful distractions for them, showing them that people in our community support and care about them. Most importantly, it lets them know they know they are not fighting cancer alone.

Our longtime goal is to earn enough money to help fund children’s treatments and medical research, however, in the meantime, we are trying to raise money to improve their lives during treatment and in remission, whether it be by writing them cards, donating them stuffed animals, sending them “wishes” or emergency funds, etc.

We are currently partnered with Candlelighters Nevada, Tyler Robinson Foundation, St. Jude Nevada and work with Cure4theKids and other local children’s hospitals so we can provide the best experiences possible for the warriors as they go through their treatments and recover from their hard-fought battles.

I recently filed a request to Governor Sisolak to proclaim September as Childhood Cancer Awareness month in Nevada, which was approved! I am also working with ACCORG (American Childhood Cancer Organization) to pass a bill in the state of Nevada to create a pediatric cancer research fund, as there are no such existing funds.

Please find us at our website (cancerkidsfirstnevada.org) or contact us at our Instagram page (@cancerkidsfirstnevada) for volunteer opportunities or further information.