Pamplico Students Honor 7-Year-Old Girl by Raising Funds for Children’s Hospital

Pupils from Hannah Pamplico Elementary Middle School within Florence School District Two managed to raise approximately $3,300 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in honor of 7-year-old Callie Weatherford from Florence.

The school administrators mentioned that student Marlee Knotts presented a service learning initiative to the leadership group with the aim of fundraising for the children's hospital.

Marlee wished to do something extraordinary in honor of her dear friend, Callie, who received a diagnosis of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) —a tumor in the brainstem—in January 2023 and has been receiving treatment at St. Jude’s since then.

She was the second individual globally to undergo this cutting-edge therapy.

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Following a CT scan which was followed by an MRI, physicians verified the presence of the extremely aggressive brain tumor, according to Weatherford’s relatives during an interview with ABC 15 in September 2023.

According to an online obituary, Callie passed away in May 2024 at the age of 7, following a 16-month struggle with a brain tumor.

Marlee along with her schoolmates undertook several fundraising activities and initiatives to gather the necessary funds.

Stacie Kirby, who has been an educator for many years, expressed her immense pride in all the students and staff members for their commitment to assisting others.