PRICE, Utah — A Carbon High School student is trying to make a difference while showing support for those impacted by childhood cancer.
16-year-old Landrie Anderson started the “Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness” memorial and walk as a freshman.
Now in her junior year of high school, the effort continues to grow.
“Gold represents childhood cancer because it represents the most precious metal and children represent the most precious thing in our lives,” Anderson said.
The memorial is located on the Price River Trail and consists of rocks painted gold with various symbols, images and messages of hope and support.
Community members contribute their artistic skills to paint the rocks.
“I was very grateful when she started doing it because there is not enough [awareness] out there helping these sweet, innocent kids,” said Candace Cook as she painted a rock.
Cook’s five-year-old daughter died of cancer several years ago.
Every year she adds rocks to the memorial to remember children impacted by this cruel disease.
“They fight like crazy,” Cook said. “You never would have known she was sick. Had you just seen her walking by or watched her throughout the day, never would have known, ever. Nothing kept her down.”
When Anderson began this effort with a handful of rocks, she didn’t expect it to continue.
Now, the memorial has grown to nearly 600 pieces of unique art and it has been recognized by the Price City Council with a commemorative plaque.
The community has embraced the memorial because so many are impacted by cancer.
“You don't realize how much it's happening around you until you do something like this,” Anderson said.
She hopes the memorial keeps growing and encourages more to be done for funding childhood cancer research.
It’s a fight that Landrie will continue to battle so she can give a voice to some of the most precious and innocent lives in the community.
“It changes your life,” Anderson said. “To be able to have a voice for someone who isn’t able to or doesn’t know how to speak up and do something. The most rewarding thing is seeing the impact that you get to have on other people.”
The Go Gold For Childhood Cancer Awareness memorial walk will take place on Saturday, September 23 along the Price River Trail. It gets underway at 8:00 am and all are invited to attend.
