More than just a wish: Mason Wolfe is helping others find hope with her efforts to fund cancer research
These days it seems more and more young people are finding ways to change the world for the better. Mason Wolfe, an 11-year-old from Monument, Colo., has already found a way to make an impact through her fundraising campaign, Mason’s Wish.
Mason, the daughter of two K-State alumni, Fred (’93) and Nancy (’90) Wolfe, has donated more than $16,000 for cancer research by selling candles. Her father has been battling lung cancer for about three years, and was recently diagnosed with brain tumors.
“I wanted to do something for my dad, so I started Mason’s Wish,” she said. “It stands for my name, Mason, and my wish, to find a cure for cancer. My slogan is ‘hope in a cure.’”
Mason began fundraising efforts two years ago, at only nine years of age, when she decided to sell candles at her elementary school’s parent teacher conferences. She raised more than $3,400. This was just the beginning. Mason’s dad, Fred, works as a construction executive for G.E. Johnson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. According to Mason and Nancy, his company’s support has been wonderful. G.E. Johnson has purchased candles from Mason’s Wish for their Christmas parties and supported the family by bringing meals to their home, setting up a computer so Fred could work from home, and driving him home from work when he couldn’t drive.
The first gift through funds raised by Mason’s Wish was $5,000 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. At this point in her fundraising, Mason had only planned to sell candles for a few months. But the orders kept coming in, and soon she found herself in a position to give yet another gift.
The second and most recent gift was $11,000 to K-State’s Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research. The center has more than 70 labs across campus, the sole purpose of which is cancer research. While visiting campus to present the check to the cancer center, Mason enjoyed touring campus, seeing the beautiful changing leaves on the trees and eating Call Hall ice cream.The entire family was thrilled to attend a football game, as they are proud K-State fans.
Mason has two older siblings — a brother Chase, 15, and a sister Morgan, 13. Her favorite subjects in school are social studies and math, and she loves hands-on projects. Her favorite hobbies are cooking and designing cards using stamps. She hopes to attend K-State in a few years, and explained that her parents are already saving money.
When asked why Mason started the entire campaign, she responded, “We know how bad it feels to be going through this with your family. We just want to help.”
How you can help: Mason’s Wish and Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research
For more information about Mason’s Wish, to make a donation or to order a candle, contact Nancy Wolfe via e-mail at nancylwolfe@msn.com.
If you are interested in supporting the Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research and its mission to understand cancers by funding basic cancer research and supporting higher education, training and public outreach, please contact Tracy Robinson at the KSU Foundation at 800-432-1578 or tracyr@found.ksu.edu.
For more information about the Johnson Cancer Center, visit www.cancer.ksu.edu.