Kids diagnosed with cancer earn gold medals at Lurie: 'They're fighting for their lives'

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — As all eyes have been on Olympic athletes competing in Paris, Chicago’s Lurie Children's Hospital unveiled gold medals for pediatric cancer patients.

During Tuesday’s ceremony, Danielle Moss took a moment to praise her 6-year-old daughter Margot, who inspired the first-ever achievement medals at Lurie.

“It's pretty amazing,” Moss said. “You did this, right. This was all your idea.”

Margot, who beat leukemia in 2022, said the idea came when she saw a video of her friend receiving a gold medal in Los Angeles.

“I wondered, ‘Why didn't I get a medal?’” Margot said.

So, her mom took to social media to raise the funds to bring medals to Lurie's.

“I think it was supposed to be $2,500, but then we hit $2,800, and people were like, ‘What can I do?’ It was pretty amazing,” Moss said.

Olivia Wodyznski, 13, was one of the first to receive an achievement medal.

“It felt really good,” she said. “It felt like I was being rewarded for being brave and for getting through these hard times.”

Moss said the medals come just in time for the Olympics and celebrate treatment milestones.

"These kids, I would argue, are working just as hard, and they're not doing something fun,” Moss said. “This is something they have to do. They're fighting for their lives, and at the very least they all deserve a gold medal.”

Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok