Two families who built nonprofits from their children's cancer battles are getting a September spotlight from Davis School District as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The Farmington-headquartered district announced Tuesday, Sept. 1 that it plans to feature student and family stories across its communication channels throughout the month. The campaign highlights Bee the Hope and the BLoubird Foundation, both Utah-based organizations built from families' firsthand experience with pediatric cancer.

The district urged the community to follow its channels in September, saying it will share stories of student cancer survivors and work to raise awareness and support for affected families.

Bee the Hope

Lauren Vengels founded Bee the Hope after her daughter Ayla was diagnosed with cancer in August 2021. Ayla collapsed at home in Minot, North Dakota, with a pulse around 35 to 40 beats per minute. She was airlifted to Fargo, North Dakota, for treatment.

The family later relocated to Utah on Jan. 1, 2022, after Ayla's father, Rich Vengels, received an Air Force assignment to Hill Air Force Base. Ayla completed her initial treatment at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City and rang the bell in March 2022.

The cancer returned in July 2023.

Ayla needed a bone marrow transplant and spent six weeks on a ventilator in the PICU after her lungs hemorrhaged and her liver began failing that November. She made a full recovery but remains on antivirals and other medications due to treatment side effects.

Bee the Hope, a registered 501(c)(3), provides financial assistance, meals, care packages and other resources to families navigating pediatric cancer. According to the organization's website, the average cost of pediatric cancer treatment is $1.2 million, and 1 in 285 children face cancer by age 20.

BLoubird Foundation

Shealynn and Cade Covington founded the BLoubird Foundation in memory of their daughter, Harper Lou, who battled an aggressive form of leukemia for seven months.

During her treatment, Harper Lou found joy in sharing patterned medical tapes with other children in the hospital. She called them "Tubie Tape."

The foundation now designs and distributes custom-printed, medical-grade tapes for children fighting cancer. The tapes, made with gentle materials and sublimation printing, can be used on NG tubes, central lines and other medical devices. BLoubird also runs a Hospital Box program.

What's ahead

The district has not announced specific dates or events for the campaign beyond sharing stories throughout September. Families can follow Davis School District's communication channels for updates.

Residents who want to support either organization can visit beethehopeutah.org or bloubirdfoundation.org.