Nebraska Students Raise $750K Fighting Cancer Over 18 Years

Student leaders from Kearney's high schools are proving that young people can create lasting change, one T-shirt at a time.

The Kearney Tackles Cancer campaign just kicked off its 18th year of supporting local families facing cancer. Since 2009, students from Kearney Public Schools and Kearney Catholic School have raised more than $750,000 through their annual shirt sales.

Every dollar goes directly to cancer patients struggling with bills during treatment. The money helps cover medication costs, gas for hospital trips, and everyday expenses that pile up when someone is fighting for their life.

This year's shirts feature green or blue cancer awareness ribbons on buttercream colored fabric. Students are selling both T-shirts and sweatshirts through October 4th, with all profits staying in the community.

The campaign partners with CHI Health Good Samaritan Cancer Center to identify patients who need financial help. Dana Welsh, a registered nurse at the center, says the ongoing student energy for the cause continues to amaze the medical team.

What makes this story remarkable is the sustained commitment. Many school fundraisers last a year or two before fading away. These Nebraska students have kept the momentum going for nearly two decades, raising an average of more than $40,000 each year.

The Ripple Effect shows up throughout Kearney every October. When students wear their KTC gear to football games on October 16th, they create visible solidarity for neighbors fighting cancer. Teachers, parents, and community members join in, turning Friday night lights into a sea of support.

Young people often hear they're the leaders of tomorrow, but Kearney students are leading today. They're learning that small actions, repeated consistently, create massive impact over time.

Hundreds of local families have received help paying for the unglamorous parts of cancer treatment that insurance doesn't cover. A tank of gas to reach chemotherapy appointments. Groceries when someone is too sick to work. Pain medication that costs hundreds per month.

The students handle everything from designing shirts to processing orders to promoting the campaign on social media. They're building real world skills while serving their community in a meaningful way.

Seventeen years of success hasn't made them complacent. Each new class of student leaders brings fresh ideas and renewed passion to the mission.

When teenagers choose to spend their energy lifting up cancer patients instead of just focusing on themselves, everyone wins.