DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — It is estimated that over 15,000 cases of pediatric cancer are diagnosed every year in the U.S. For the last four years, one Midstate college student has been working to help the young lives impacted.
Landon Cochran has been hard at work. He began hosting charity softball tournaments through his charity, “Pitching for Pediatrics.”
“I met this kid (when) I was 12 years old,” Cochran said. “His name was T, and he was four years old battling stage four cancer, and just seeing the impact that that had on him and his family just really touched my heart (and) made me want to do something.”
On Saturday, the organization hosted its fourth annual tournament.
“It’s a good time,” Cochran said. “Anybody can come out and play. And we welcome anybody.”
The event is focused on helping those with pediatric cancer, but Cochran says helping the families is just as important.
“Their parents could get laid off from being off work for that much time or they just don’t have the money to help support treatments or chemo,” Cochran said. “Even the simple things like getting food for their family. So that’s where we try to step in and do as much as we can.”
Cochran says baseball has always been a part of his life, especially now, at Penn State Harrisburg. His head coach, Ryan Brown, helped out at the tournament.
“It’s a great, great opportunity to give back to an organization, and it does so much for, for a lot of kids,” Brown said. “And, for someone who works at Penn State Harrisburg, you want to always be involved in the community where you work, especially with a baseball program that’s pretty successful. We want to be successful on and off the field. So just an opportunity to spend a fun, nice day out here and play some softball.”
For those who didn’t wish to play, there were still plenty of activities, like vendors, food trucks and one young entrepreneur who says he’s got the best business going.
“I have the best lemonade around.”
To learn more about Pitching for Pediatrics, check out their Facebook group here.
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