Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Taylor.
Hi Mary, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
🎗FAITH GABRIELA PUDEN🎗 – an Angel and “my why”
Faith was 6 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 brainstem glioma in 2010. While fighting this horrible disease, she asked me, her 1st grade teacher, to make her a promise…to never let anyone forget her. I made that promise! Soon after she passed, I began raising GOLD ribbon awareness for Childhood Cancer because Faith couldn’t understand why she only saw pink ribbons and never gold ones. (I didn’t, and still don’t understand that either.) Thanks to family, friends and supporters, the Memorial Scholarship I started in Faith’s name quickly turned into the Friends of Faith Pruden Foundation (FFPF), an official 501(c)(3).
To date, FFPF has supported hundreds of children fighting cancer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus Ohio by providing books, toys, blankets and gift cards. We have helped their families pay their bills, everything from cell phone payments to mortgages, and have even purchase several reliable cars for families of children fighting cancer. We are proud sponsors of a permanent room at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio ($10,000 donation) and have provided several meals for families staying at the House. We have purchased burial plots, headstones and helped families with funeral costs.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road of any small nonprofit can be bumpy. Trying to raise awareness of childhood cancer and funds is often challenging. Our major, annual fundraising event was canceled during the COVID pandemic, and we have yet to bring it back annually. However, with the help of some amazingly generous friends and family members, we are able to continue on our mission.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I was a first grade teacher in the Westerville City School District until I had a medical emergency that resulted in a prolonged hospitalization. Since then I have been on medical retirement and while I miss teaching little ones, I keep busy with my foundation.
I’m proud of the fact that no matter my personal, medical issues, I continue to support children with cancer and their families with financial and emotional support. I am also proud that FFPF is also raising awareness about childhood cancer throughout Ohio. Mayors in the greater Columbus OH area have participated in issuing a proclamation to name September Childhood Cancer Awareness month at the urging of the FFPF team, and we’ve also brought “Gold Ribbon Awareness” specialized interest license plates to Ohio to support Childhood Cancer Awareness. Now, when registering for a license plate, Ohioans have an option to select a plate for Gold Ribbon Awareness, which displays a gold ribbon with a butterfly (the logo of the FFPF), as well as the foundation name.
My favorite FFPF events include reserving a private train car on the Cuyahoga Valley Railway North Pole Adventure for cancer warriors and their families, as well as our Strike Out Childhood Cancer softball and baseball games where our kids are recognized during the game, even getting the honor of throwing out the first pitch!
Any big plans?
I’d love to expand our reach to other hospitals in Ohio, if funding is obtainable.
We will expand our Going Gold for Childhood Cancer campaign in September to have a broader reach – including more city proclamations, more posters in businesses, and distribution of our awareness magnets to every Columbus Fire station. We intend to reach beyond Columbus Fire Department (CFD) this year, thanks to the overwhelming support and encouragement we’ve received from CFD.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.faithprudenfoundation.org/
- Instagram: FriendsofFaithPrudenFoundation
- Facebook: Friends of Faith Pruden Foundation
- Twitter: FFPFfriends
