(This article was written by Abigial Muniz-Garcia and was featured in the September 2024 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
46 children. Today, that many children in the United States will be told they have cancer. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children. Organizations around the nation and globally have taken it upon themselves to fund efforts for a cure and to help families affected by childhood cancer.
One such nonprofit is the TeamWalkerPete Foundation.
TeamWalkerPete (TWP) is a Christian organization out of Harlingen that was officially founded in November of 2017. Their efforts include supporting research, raising awareness, and assisting patients and families who are affected by childhood cancers and blood disorders.
Executive Director and Founder of TWP, Judi Peters, founded the organization after losing her 17-year-old son, Nick Walker Peters, to leukemia after a seven-year battle. The charitable organization honors his life. Nick went through two relapses and a bone marrow transplant before succumbing to the disease after complications following a transplant from his sister Ashley, who was a perfect match. He is remembered as a selfless, loving individual who loved to make others laugh and was also an entrepreneur with a heart of gold.
“He was generous to a fault,” Peters said.
She fondly shared a memory of one such instance.
“There was a time when we were in Houston and there was a little boy next to us and he (Nick) heard him crying a lot,” she said. After asking the nurses and finding out that the little boy’s parents wouldn’t visit him often because of their other children at home needing their attention, Nick asked more questions and discovered the boy’s favorite character was Elmo.
“He got on Amazon, ordered something, and had it sent to the hospital for him,” Peters said.
Even at the end of his life, Peters shared how Nick would think of others before himself.
“Most of the time when the nurses came in, he was like, ‘How did you sleep? Did you have a good breakfast? Are you ready to take on this day?’ Even though he wasn’t being allowed to eat or drink anything, he was concerned with them,” she said.
His faith was also important.
“He was going into surgery (one time), and he asked every one of the doctors to give him a hug… he said, ‘Can I pray with you?’” Peters said.
His family keeps his memory alive through the foundation and their page on Facebook where Peters often shares Facebook memories that come up.
“I check my memories every day,” she said.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and TWP is set to host its 8th annual “Night of Black and Gold” on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at the Harlingen Convention Center. The event includes dinner, drinks, and even a silent auction.
The proceeds go toward the many initiatives TWP has in place. TWP’s projects include hospital “go” bags, scholarships, patient and family assistance, and many more.
“We are a small group of volunteers,” Peters said. She works as a full-time educator and finds time in her busy schedule to continue running the organization and all its projects. They’re always in need of volunteers and help.
“We want volunteers to do the little projects… just do something,” she said. “For us to sustain the amount of assistance we want to give these families, we have to rely on donations… just get involved.”
For more information on TWP or to purchase tickets to the gala happening on September 7, please visit: https://www.teamwalkerpete.com.
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