UISD aims to raise $50,000 for children battling cancer

United ISD is launching its first Zumba fundraiser for Smiles From Heaven as the district seeks to raise at least $50,000 to support the local nonprofit's work with children who have cancer and blood disorders and their families. The fundraiser is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 19 at the United Middle School gym. Early registration is $15, while registration at the door is $20, cash only. Participants are encouraged to wear yellow in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The event was announced last week during UISD's annual kickoff event for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, held in the district boardroom. UISD has partnered with Smiles From Heaven for five consecutive years. The district also has planned activities across its schools from Sept. 14-18 to raise awareness about childhood cancer and encourage support for the organization. Attendees watched videos about Smiles From Heaven's work and the experiences of founders Ray and Betsy Sanchez, who created the organization after their daughter, Bella, died from childhood cancer. Two children who have faced childhood cancer, Jade and Diago, also were recognized during the event alongside members of their families. Dr. Gerardo Cruz, UISD superintendent of schools, said the district is proud to continue supporting Smiles From Heaven and its work with children battling cancer and their families. 'Imagine these children, students, who are battling cancer and how they still have a focus to come to school and succeed academically,' he said. Cruz said UISD intends to make fundraising for the organization a districtwide effort. He said the district's goal is at least $50,000 and that he is confident it will surpass that. He said the district would help spread the word so Smiles From Heaven can continue providing travel and lodging assistance, along with other support for families whose children require cancer treatment. He also committed to participating in the Zumba fundraiser and encouraged other administrators and community members to join. 'We're all in this together,' Cruz said. 'I don't mind doing that. It's all for the cause.' UISD Trustee Michelle Molina echoed Cruz's support, saying the district's partnership with Smiles From Heaven is both an honor and a privilege. Molina praised the compassion and dedication of the Sanchez family and said she witnessed its work firsthand after her niece was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer as a newborn. She said Smiles From Heaven supports families through those experiences by traveling with them, supporting children in unfamiliar hospitals and helping families navigate the uncertainty surrounding a cancer diagnosis. 'The unknown is very scary,' Molina said. Molina thanked the Sanchez family for responding when her own family needed assistance. 'You didn't have to answer that call when you first got it, but you did,' Molina said. 'You did, in a heartbeat. You say, 'We're here. We're going to hold your hand.'' 'Not just the babies, not just the infant — but the entire family,' she said. 'Don't give up. You have an entire community behind you.' Ray and Betsy Sanchez spoke after attendees watched an animated video depicting their family's experience with childhood cancer and the challenges families can face following a diagnosis. The video recounted how Ray and Betsy founded Smiles From Heaven after losing their daughter, Bella, to childhood cancer. They made a promise that no family would fight alone. Betsy acknowledged how difficult it remains to watch her daughter's story and then speak about it publicly. But she said she and her husband pledged to stand with families facing childhood cancer. 'It does not get easy,' she said. 'But we made a promise, and we're keeping that promise — to stand with every single family that has to face this, to be there with you and to fight alongside every single one of you.' Betsy said nothing Smiles From Heaven accomplishes can bring Bella back, but helping other families has become a source of healing. She thanked UISD for opening its doors to Smiles From Heaven and encouraged the community to continue raising awareness beyond Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Ray thanked the Smiles From Heaven team and discussed the emotional demands of working with families affected by childhood cancer. He said losing Bella continues to shape Smiles From Heaven's mission and that working with other families can cause him and Betsy to relive parts of their own experience. Ray said Smiles From Heaven seeks to provide families with the support his family did not have while Bella was undergoing treatment. He emphasized that Smiles From Heaven develops its programs with families rather than simply for them. 'We're not doing it for them, we're doing it with them,' he said. Ray said families affected by childhood cancer are included in decisions about programs to ensure Smiles From Heaven's services address needs identified by the families themselves. Smiles From Heaven has outgrown its current two-story facility after about a year, Ray said, and hopes to begin construction on a larger facility by the end of 2027. Ray said Smiles From Heaven could receive a federal grant for the project, but the funding would cover construction rather than the purchase of land. The organization is also raising money to acquire property. Patricia Molano spoke about her 7-year-old daughter, Jade, and her experience with cancer. She described Jade as a cheerful child with an 'incredible smile' who has taught her family about strength and courage. Jade was diagnosed in December 2025 with a rare form of bone cancer, Molano said. The diagnosis transformed the family's routine into hospital stays, chemotherapy, surgery and repeated trips to San Antonio for treatment. Molano said Jade underwent intensive chemotherapy and major surgeries involving her arm and leg. Despite those experiences, she continues to smile and laugh. 'She has taught her family more about strength and courage than we ever thought a child could,' Molano said. Molano said the Sanchez family understands what families like hers experience because of Bella's cancer journey. 'After losing Bella, Betsy and Ray chose to turn their pain into purpose to make sure other families don't have to face childhood cancer alone,' she said. Molano said Smiles From Heaven has helped her family with practical needs associated with Jade's treatment, but the organization has also provided something particularly important for her daughter. 'The staff knows her. They welcome her. They make her feel very special,' she said. 'They give her a place where she can simply be a kid, not just a cancer patient. And that means everything.' Molano reminded attendees that Jade represents one of many children and families facing childhood cancer. 'Jade is one child, one story, one family,' she said. 'But there are so many children in our community fighting these battles.' Molano encouraged the community to remember that Childhood Cancer Awareness Month represents real children and families. 'As we go gold in September, let's remember that childhood cancer isn't just a month, a color or a ribbon,' she said. 'It's a child. It's a family. It's a community.' Molano thanked UISD and Smiles From Heaven for supporting families like hers, helping children such as Jade feel seen and reminding families that they are not alone. 'On behalf of Jade and our entire family, thank you for helping us turn some of the hardest moments of our lives into moments filled with hope,' she said. 'And thank you, Jade, for continuing to smile.'