Harrisburg, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/25/2014 -- A smile made possible by a simple act of kindness makes the life of a child with cancer more bearable and hopeful. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and corporations across the United States, the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation (CCRF), through its Bear-Able Gift Program, is creating thousands of smiles on the faces of children living with cancer.

Recently, the Bear-Able Gift Program delivered 8,700 toys and gifts to 40 hospitals across the country to help brighten the lives of 2,450 children living with cancer.

The Bear-Able Gift Program distributes items such as games, toys, crayons, coloring books, video games, puzzles, books and teddy bears — all kinds of things that make children smile — to hospitals and oncology centers across the country. The program makes CCRF the largest supplier of gifts to children in North America who have cancer. It relies solely on donations of new and unwrapped toys.

"Childhood should be a carefree time that lets kids be kids, but children with cancer are often robbed of that," said Greg Anderson, founder of Harrisburg, PA-based CCRF. "The kindness and generosity of donors from across the country makes a difference in the lives of children with cancer, brightening their days and helping them to forget for a while that they're sick."

There are a number of ways in which individuals and businesses can help support CCRF's Bear-Able Gift Program; they include sponsoring a toy drive, or raising or donating funds. For more information, please visit http://www.childrenscancerrecovery.org/programs/bearable-gifts/, or contact us at childrens@cancerrecovery.org.

About Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation
Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA with a division in The Woodlands, TX, the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation supports children under 18 and their families facing the hardships of cancer. The foundation performs acts of care and kindness through the following programs: Bear-Able Gifts (largest distributor of gifts to children with cancer in the U.S.); Toxic-Free Kids (educates families on the dangers of environmental toxins); New Era Cancer Research Fund (funds research for less toxic, minimally-invasive pediatric-cancer treatments); International Aid (provides medications and supplies to clinics in developing and impoverished countries); Helping Hands Fund (provides emergency financial assistance to families); and Camp Scholarships (allows children in remission to reconnect with activities they love). With a national pediatric-hospital partner network of 215+ locations, the foundation directly helps more than 15,000 children affected by cancer and their families every year. Please visit http://www.ChildrensCancerRecovery.org.

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Harrisburg, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/25/2014 -- With the spring season in full swing and the warm weather right around the corner, families around the nation will begin to embark on their annual spring cleaning rituals. However, there are a large number of household cleaning products that are not only toxic to the environment, but are linked to childhood cancer as well. The Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation's (CCRF), Toxic-Free Kids program encourages parents to use safe cleaning alternatives to lessen their children's exposure to hazardous and potentially cancer-causing products.

Although typical household cleaning products assist in clearing away dirt, many of them leave behind toxic chemicals that linger in the home. It is not uncommon to find carcinogens, such as kerosene, hydrochloric acid, ammonia and chlorine bleach, in everyday products. According to the EPA, indoor air pollution is one of the nation's most pressing personal health concerns. Peak concentrations of 20 toxic compounds — some linked to cancer and birth defects — were 200 to 500 times higher inside some homes than outdoors, according to a 5-year EPA study that surveyed 600 homes in six cities.

CCRF urges families to seek healthier, more environmentally-friendly options to avoid exposure to carcinogens and help lower the risk of childhood cancer. The following tips can help many families clean without chemicals this spring:
- Always one should look for "toxic-free" on the front of the bottle, as this is the easiest and most obvious way to assure the product is safe.
- Be sure the ingredients are listed on the label. Products that fail to do so should immediately raise a red flag.
- Use natural alternatives, such as white vinegar and baking soda. It may sound simple but due to its acidity, vinegar is extremely effective for killing mold, bacteria and germs. Not to worry, it is safe on virtually every surface, including wood (as long as it is sealed or finished).
- Avoid products with chlorine bleach. The fumes from this chemical have negative affects on the nervous, respiratory and immune systems. The risks of chlorine bleach also increases when mixed with other substances.
- Steam cleaning is a safe and effective way to clean without using chemicals. Steam sanitizes and releases dirt at the same time.
- Many laundry detergents also contain cancer-causing toxins. It is best to avoid products containing fragrance, dye, optical brighteners and phthalates.
- Commonly found in window cleaners, ammonia is an extremely toxic element that brings forth an array of health risks, including cancer. It is best to avoid products containing this element entirely.

About Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation
Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA with a division in The Woodlands, TX, the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation supports children under 18 and their families facing the hardships of cancer. The foundation performs acts of care and kindness through the following programs: Bear-Able Gifts (largest distributor of gifts to children with cancer in the U.S.); Toxic-Free Kids (educates families on the dangers of environmental toxins); New Era Cancer Research Fund (funds research for less toxic, minimally-invasive pediatric-cancer treatments); International Aid (provides medications and supplies to clinics in developing and impoverished countries); Helping Hands Fund (provides emergency financial assistance to families); and Camp Scholarships (allows children in remission to reconnect with activities they love). With a national pediatric-hospital partner network of 215+ locations, the foundation directly helps more than 15,000 children affected by cancer and their families every year. Please visit www.ChildrensCancerRecovery.org.

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Hershey, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/25/2014 -- The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), an American progressive rock band that performs an opera called Beethoven's Last Night, made an appearance at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania in December of 2013. The orchestra is also known for its ongoing involvement with charities. A holiday concert, the event supported three charities and the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation (CCRF) was one of them.

Subsequent to the concert, Karen Richards of Cumulus Media presented a check in the amount of $5,764 to CCRF. Live Nation Entertainment, which receives the money from ticket sales, cuts the checks for the charities. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra donates $1.00 from every ticket sold to their shows, and Cumulus Media selects the beneficiaries.

"TSO shares the wealth with many great charities. This year, we felt the need to share a portion of the money with a charity that benefits children," said John O'Dea, Operations Manager, Cumulus Media, Harrisburg. "We understand that this support will help brighten the lives of kids through toy and financial programs, and our hearts and thoughts go out to their families."

"We greatly appreciate this support," said CCRF Founder & CEO Greg Anderson. "This donation will help us continue to fund projects that are critical to our mission, such as our Bear-Able Gift Program, the largest supplier of gifts to children with cancer in North America, and our financial support to families through our Helping Hands Fund."

About Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation
Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation's (CCRF) mission is to deliver simple acts of care and kindness to children and their families experiencing cancer. This is accomplished through the following programs: Toxic-Free Kids – a campaign to educate families on the dangers of environmental toxins and their link to childhood cancer; New Era Cancer Research Fund – focused on funding research for less toxic, minimally invasive pediatric cancer treatments; and International Aid – providing treatment medications and supplies to clinics in developing and impoverished countries.

In addition, CCRF, the largest distributor of gifts to children with cancer in the US through the Bear-Able Gift Program, provides emergency financial assistance to families via the Helping Hands Fund, and recently increased the number of children served through the Camp Scholarship Program by partnering with local camps in PA and TX. The Foundation is headquartered in Harrisburg, PA and has a division in The Woodlands, TX. With a national pediatric hospital partner network of over 215 locations, each year the Foundation directly services over 15,000 children and family members who are impacted by childhood cancer. This national footprint allows the Foundation to reach virtually every child who is dealing with cancer. More information at: http://www.ChildrensCancerRecovery.org.

Connect with the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter!

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