STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A local organization is raising money to help assist Central PA cancer patients in need.

The Bob Perks Fund has been around for over 14 years, and started in honor of Bob Perks, a State College native who was a founding member the Penn State coaches versus Cancer game, who died from Melanoma at 42 years old.

“When he died, out of his concern for people with cancer, his wife and friends and colleagues formed the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund,” said Norma Keller, Executive Director of the Bob Perks Fund.

“When Bob was receiving treatment, which was in Pittsburgh, he very often people talking about the fact that they were receiving an eviction notice or their utilities were being shut off or they had to take care their car off the road.”

The money raised by the foundation goes directly to paying the bills for cancer patients in Blair, Clearfield, Centre and Huntingdon counties.

In a given year, they raise $225,000, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-profit has struggled to meet their goal.

“Because of COVID, many many events were canceled leaving us short in terms of events by $75,000,” Keller continued.

“And we started calculating how could we through the year with the dollars that we have.”

And in lieu of the pandemic, the non-profit is “Striving for 25” a fundraising push to raise $25,000 in 25 days that will allow the organization to pay for cancer patients bills through the end of December.

“The whole mission is that you can injure your health by being worried all the time, so we do this so cancer patients can focus on getting healthy again and not worry so much about the burden of
unpaid bills,” Keller added.

You can donate by visiting their website.