Cookies for a Cancer Cure

This week’s Whiz Kid is fourth-grader Ava Daly. Daly will be baking cookies for a charity that she started last November called “Cookies for a Cure” with the hope that by contributing to cancer research, a cure will be found.

The sugar cookies are in the shape of the cancer ribbon symbol in honor of loved ones who have suffered with cancer. For that reason, finding a cure is important to this 10-year-old.

“I lost my grammy to lung cancer,” Ava said. “She went from healthy and fun to really sick so quickly and it was really hard to see. And I watched my Auntie Becky struggle with cancer, too. She was so sick and Dana Farber saved her.”

During April vacation while other youngsters are traveling with their families or playing with friends, Ava will be baking in her mother’s kitchen and busily filling over $600 in orders for her sugar cookies. All orders are to be fulfilled by Easter, with all monies going to Pan Mass Challenge, which in turn donates 100 percent of the proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“She has a lot of baking to do!” Ava’s mother Eliza Daly tells Danvers Patch. “But she’s very excited about it. Last year was a very tough year for her...but it’s great to see her turn that experience into a positive and to be so driven to help raise money to find a cure for cancer.”

The ribbon sugar cookies are made to order and can be purchased individually for $1.50 or by the dozen in a bedazzled bakery box for $15. Ava was fortunate to get a couple of volunteers to help her out in the kitchen.

According to Eliza Daly, “She (Ava) has already bedazzled her bakery boxes though and made her tags so she’ll be good to go next week. Hailey Chisolm and Erica Blanch will be helping out on Thursday and/or Friday. The fourth grade at Thorpe is a great group of kids. Several of them have asked Ava if they can help with the cookies, which I think is so sweet.”

The fourth-grader hopes to continue her fundraising efforts beyond this vacation week by continuing her “Cookies for a Cure” campaign and adding t-shirts for sale with her logo.

To order cookies for a future event or for t-shirt information, e-mail Ava at tazdaly@comcast.net.

Whiz Kid’s Name: Ava Daly

Whiz Kid’s Age: 10

Whiz Kid’s School: Thorpe School, fourth grade

Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: Started “Cookies for a Cure” fundraiser for cancer research

Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness: “Finding a cure for cancer is important to me because I lost my grammy to lung cancer. She went from healthy and fun to really sick so quickly and it was really hard to see. And I watched my Auntie Becky struggle with cancer, too. She was so sick and Dana Farber saved her. I don't want other people to go through this and so I’d like to help raise money to find a cure for cancer and get rid of it completely,” said Ava.