Until September 20, 2008, Natalee Hercik had been leading a fairly typical life. She and her husband, Chris, were normal, hardworking parents of two beautiful girls. They were going through life happily and providing a good home for their little ones. On that day, September 20, their three-year-old-daughter Lilly was diagnosed with leukemia. During Lilly's two years and two months of chemotherapy, Natalee continued to work. At first a great distraction from the reality of Lilly's battle, working was eventually no longer an option for Natalee. She and her husband decided that the best decision for their family was for her to resign. Natalee wanted, and would now be able, to spend as much time with her daughters as possible.
During this time, she joined the launch committee for the CureSearch for Children's Cancer Walk of the Lehigh Valley. Natalee got involved in public relations and marketing. Since 2011, the CureSearch Walk has helped to raise more than $300,000 in an effort to find a cure for childhood cancer. She also became involved with the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley. This foundation holds an annual golf outing, and Team Lilly has averaged 44 players over the course of seven outings. “To see the continued support of so many family and friends now, seven years later,” Natalee says, “is absolutely amazing and so very heartwarming.”
Natalee's work has also extended into the Bethlehem school system. Recently, Freedom High School hosted a GOLD OUT in order to raise awareness for childhood cancer. Awareness, along with $21,000 for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley, was certainly raised. Natalee's extensive volunteer work has brought in endless amounts of money to help combat and find a cure for childhood cancer, but she feels that cancer heroes like her daughter Lilly are the real spotlight. “Sadly,” she says, “those four words—your child has cancer—are said far more than they should be. It can happen to any child at any time, and when it does, your world is turned upside down, and you will never, ever be the same. I am saddened every time I hear of a new diagnosis, but I am forever hopeful that they will someday be assured that they have the same outcome that we have had.”
December 2, 2015 marks five years of Lilly being off her cancer treatments. This means that Lilly's success officially translates into Lilly being cured. Natalee says, “We will pause to celebrate, but we won't stop fighting until every child has a cure.”
Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley | 25 West 3rd St., Bethlehem | 610.297.7292 | pcflv.org
Photo by Shelbie Pletz
