Olentangy's Gray leads nearly $200,000 effort to raise money to fight cancer
Natalie Gray was just 13 when she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
Gray, of Powell, endured two emergency surgeries in five days. Now 16, and a sophomore at Olentangy Liberty High School, she still goes through chemotherapy sessions for her inoperable tumors.
But as much as she was dealing with, she wanted to help others going through similar challenges. In August 2021, she established the Natalie Gray Foundation.
"Natalie wanted the foundation to start," said Shawn Wagner, a member of the foundation's board of directors. When she was diagnosed, she was so impressed with the care she was getting that she wanted that care to become more available, Wagner said.
And the effort has had significant success. In 2022, the foundation committed to raising $250,000 over five years for the CONNECT Consortium at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. So far, it has raised $175,000.
According to the foundation, only 4% of the National Cancer Institute budget goes to pediatric cancer.
The CONNECT Consortium was founded by Dr. Maryam Fouladi at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She is a member of Natalie’s care team. CONNECT is a collaboration with 18 institutions around the world to coordinate brain tumor research.
Gray said it was important to her to make a difference. "I wanted to give back," she said.
To that end is The Challenge, two basketball games to raise money and awareness this Friday at Olentangy Liberty High School between Olentangy Liberty and Olentangy Orange with both girls and boys varsity games.
Students have been fundraising all month long by making donations and buying t-shirts. On Friday, they were to play some halftime games and buy raffle tickets to earn even more money.
The school with the most points raised in fundraising and game points becomes 2024's Challenge Champion. Olentangy Liberty won on Friday.
Wagner said the first Challenge in 2022 raised $8,000, then $12,000 in 2023, and so far, $20,000 for 2024.
"It's very much student-driven," said Melanie Farkas, a foundation board member. On Friday, the event raised $30,000, Farkas said.
The connection between The Challenge and basketball came about because Gray's stepsister, Addiston Marston, played basketball for Olentangy Liberty, and wanted to help the foundation, Gray said.
"Her basketball team would pick an organization to fundraise for. And so they do it for the Natalie Gray Foundation," Gray said. Her stepsister now attends the University of South Carolina.
In addition to the annual basketball games and The Challenge, the foundation holds an annual fall golf outing and held its first gala in July 2023.
Olentangy Liberty Principal Mike Starner said the gym a year ago was packed for what he called a marquee event.
"I expect a pretty amazing environment," he said.
"You have to go see it to believe it," Starner said. "She's just such a special kid."
mferench@dispatch.com
@MarkFerenchik
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Natalie Gray foundation raises $175,000 to fight cancer at Olentangy
