Senior Biology major Zoha Wasim always looked forward to participating in her high school’s annual Mini-THON, a year-long fundraising initiative that culminates in a large celebration with games, dancing, and more, all modeled after Penn State University’s THON. However, when the time finally came for her to participate, the event was canceled due to COVID-19. 

At Arcadia, Wasim jumped at the chance to join the For the Kids (FTK) club, a group dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Four Diamonds.

Four Diamonds fights childhood cancer by helping children and their families receive care and support, and by conducting innovative research. The organization uses funds raised by groups like Arcadia’s FTK club to cover 100 percent of a Four Diamonds child’s medical expenses related to cancer care that aren’t already covered by insurance. 

This past weekend, Wasim and four other FTK leadership board members visited Four Diamonds at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center after organizing the trip with their liaison, Hannah Woodward.

“This is my second year as part of the FTK club, and I’ve always known how impactful our fundraising efforts are,” Wasim explained. “That being said, visiting the facility and seeing where our donations go, along with learning more about the research being done to combat childhood cancer was truly fascinating. It reinforced the importance of our mission and further motivated us to work even harder and fundraise for the cause.” 

As a member of Arcadia’s Honors Program, she also used her Honors Project as a way to tie her passion into her advocacy. Combining her love of crocheting with her dedication to supporting pediatric cancer patients, she launched a project to crochet hats for children undergoing cancer treatment.

“The project has been a huge success,” says Wasim. “I hosted a crochet workshop where FTK and crochet club members could come together and learn how to make hats. In total, we made 12 hats, which is a huge accomplishment considering how time-consuming it is to crochet just one; it takes about three hours for someone who’s experienced. It’s been incredible to see how passionate everyone was with this project and many of our members learned to crochet for the first time!”

Wasim serves as the events chair on the leadership board for the FTK club, helping with club fundraising and organizing the annual Dance All Night event which will take place on April 11.

“The FTK club at Arcadia not only works hard to fundraise, but we are also a community dedicated to the fight against pediatric cancer. Many of our members are pursuing medical or healthcare careers, while some have had loved ones who have been affected,” she added. “The Four Diamonds Foundation provides incredible support to families by making sure they never receive a medical bill during their child’s treatment. Having a club like this on campus allows us to support this amazing cause, raise awareness, and make a meaningful impact in the fight against pediatric cancer.”

Through her leadership and creativity, Wasim is proving that passion and purpose can come together to make a difference in the lives of others.