What friends are for

Photo by Michael Woodward, Reporter

WALK PAYS OFF: Katie Cordy, 10, (left) and Cierra Dunken, 9, enjoyed the walk-a-thon so much they want to have another one. Katie’s efforts helped raise over $2,000 for Cierra’s operation.

Katie Cordy, 10, of Cottonwood decided she wanted to do something “extra special” for her friend Cierra Dunken. So, Katie organized a walk-a-thon with her mother, Kerry Cordy, to help pay for her friend’s surgery.

Cierra Dunken, 9, of Redding is scheduled to undergo a rare surgery to remove a non-malignant tumor May 16 at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University.

The walk-a-thon drew about 26 children to Enterprise Park in Redding on Sunday afternoon, April 1. They raised over $2,000 from the walk-a-thon as well as the raffle and bake sale.

Katie originally wanted to organize the walk-a-thon to benefit the Good News Rescue Mission. Kerry Cordy said that her children sponsor charities instead of receiving gifts from friends at birthday parties. After sponsoring the mission for her last birthday and getting a tour of the mission, Katie wanted to have a walk-a-thon to raise more money for the organization. When Katie found out about her friend’s surgery, she decided to spin the walk-a-thon idea to help her friend instead.

Katie learned how to make flyers, use e-mail and post messages to certain Yahoo groups message boards.

“You made me type a lot,” growled Katie to her mother.

“I was on vacation for two weeks.” Cordy said, “She had to do a lot of the grunt work while I was gone.”

At the event, Nick Ciampi and Jim Dyer gave a free concert and the local broadcast news stations attended the event as well. Cierra’s mother, Joanna Dunken, said that Cierra loves the attention and isn’t nervous about the operation at all.

“I was on Channel 7 and Channel 12,” Cierra said.

Donations to the event were provided by Balloon Bayou and The Facial Room of Anderson, and Safeway, Starbucks and Linda’s Hallmark of Redding.

“Each child that walked had a balloon attached to them, so they really stood out,” Cordy said.

Cierra’s tumor is the size of a golf ball, directly behind her eye. According to Dunken, doctors said that the tumor is blocking a sinus cavity and pushing on optic nerves, causing Cierra’s vision to blur.

“I would think that it would hurt, but it doesn’t,” Cierra said.

The doctors will have to go through a nostril to drain the tumor. The operation is expected to take three hours, during which Cierra would be under general anaesthetic.

To make a donation towards her operation, deposit contributions to Cierra Dunken account #3400596075 at Washington Mutual Bank, 974 Dana Dr., Redding CA 96003.