JTS Foundation

The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation is our initiative to honor our son and brother by helping families battling childhood cancer until we can find a cure. We thank you for your ongoing support and love. TOGETHER, WE CAN BEAT THIS.

Who We Are

The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation was founded in early 2011 as a way to remember and honor the life of Jed Smith. Jed was a funny, life-loving twelve-year-old boy who lived with his family in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. Jed was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was four and fought his cancer valiantly for eight years. He lost his battle on January 3, 2010 and is missed every day.

During Jed's eight year's of treatment at the Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA he always took time to focus on the other kids. He asked questions about how they were feeling even when he was feeling sick and tired.

The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation embraces that spirit that was always present in Jed and works to support local children battling cancer as well as their families. We host fundraisers and raise money to provide monetary support, scholarships and gifts to the pediatric cancer community.

We are currently based in Red Lion, Pennsylvania and serve the communities of south-central Pennsylvania.

The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation has a special savings fund and programs in place to assist families battling childhood cancer when they need it most. We understand that your journey is both joyful and painful and sometimes it can be difficult to ask for help even when you desperately need it.

What We Do

Help Families Battling Childhood Cancer

Jedediah Thomas Smith was born on September 29, 1997. He lived and grew up in Red Lion, Pennsylvania with his mom Kristin, step-dad Dan, older sister Savannah and many loving extended family members. Jed loved playing video games, hanging out with his best friend DJ and was an avid fan of all things Penn State (especially football). Jed was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia through a blood test at age four after compaining of bone and joint pain. He received his treatment at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Through his eight long years of treatment (which included spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, chemotherapy, blood transfusions and thousands of pills over the years) Jed was almost always smiling and very rarely complained. He always assured his family that "everything would be okay."

Support the Outpatient Clinic

With your help, we regularly donate toys, games and activities (especially around the holidays) to the outpatient clinic at Hershey Medical Center as much as they are needed. We chose to make our donation to the clinic where Jed spent a lot of his time and had his favorite nurses. Kids come in and out of the clinic to receive their chemo, blood transfusions and other treatments. A big thank you to Becky Kepner of Child Life who helped to accept and distribute the donations! We love visiting to see all of our hospital friends!

How You Can Help

Donate Today

Donate online or send us a check to help a family in need. You can also donate in memory of someone special by simply sending the receipt to jtsfoundation@gmail.com. You can also donate in someone's name and we will send him or her a special thank you card alerting him or her of your donation.

Fundraisers

Each autumn, we hold a luncheon to raise money for the foundation. It's a fun day filled with good food, great people, raffles and more. Check Facebook or our blog for date and time. Tickets are available on the blog and at the door the day of the event for $20.00. We also hold various fundraisers throughout the year from garage sales and movie nights to our delicious crab feed. Check out Facebook and the blog for upcoming events. Email us about attending or volunteering!

Refer A Family

If you are a family with a child battling childhood cancer, or you know a family with a child battling childhood cancer that needs financial or emotional assistance, please contact us. Your requests and messages will be answered promptly and from an understanding perspective. For emergency assistance such as funeral expenses, there is no application necessary, only a referral from your nurse practitioner, social worker or oncologist.

Donate In-Kind

You can help us bring holiday smiles to kids, parents, nurses and doctors at Penn State Milton Hershey Children's Hospital! We collect everything from legos, crayons, coloring books, to lap desks, throw blankets, sanitizing hand lotions and more. For more ideas, email us! Items can be shipped to our address or dropped off. We do ask please no plush toys or stuffed animals. They cannot be donated even brand new because of germs!

Why We Fight

Through his eight long years of treatment including spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, chemotherapy, blood transfusions and thousands of pills, Jed was almost always smiling and very rarely complained. He always assured his family that "everything would be okay."

During the winter of 2009 Jed made snow globes for all of his family members, doctors, nurses and friends from his bed in his hospital room. That was just another example of Jed's caring nature. After spending both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital a bone marrow aspiration in late December showed his cancer had returned again. Family and friends came to visit from near and far. A few days later he lost his battle with cancer on January 3, 2010. The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation was started in his honor by his family members who miss him every moment. The Foundation works to honor Jed's memory.

Contact us!

The Jedediah Thomas Smith Foundation
233 North Charles Street
Red Lion, PA 17356

jtsfoundation@gmail.com