MURRELLS INLET, SC (WBTW) – On Sunday, the parking lot of the Wicked Tuna in Murrells Inlet was transformed into a kid-friendly festival with live music, silent auctions and bouncy houses, all to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer.
Jennifer Johnson hosted the 8th Annual Lilypalooza to raise money for families in Horry and Georgetown Counties whose children have cancer. The event was named for Johnson’s daughter Lily, who was diagnosed with cancer when she was six years-old.
“It’s near and dear to my heart because I was a single mom of three children when my daughter got diagnosed, and I know how hard it is just to pay your daily bills when your child has cancer,” Johnson said.
Since her daughter’s diagnosis, Johnson founded the nonprofit, Cancer Heroes of the Carolinas and holds Lilypalooza each September, national childhood cancer awareness month.
This year, Johnson set a fundraising goal of $20,000 because she says the number of childhood cancer diagnoses grow each year.
“There’s been ten new families (in Horry and Georgetown Counties) diagnosed with cancer just since November, so the year is not even out yet, and that’s the new families, not the children that are continuously being on treatment,” Johnson said.
The event ends at 5pm tonight.
To learn more about Lilypalooza or to make a donation, click here.
