After learning that their teacher, Vanessa Fennig’s son, Tommy Fennig, has been fighting cancer, BHS students have been supporting them by participating in the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Pop-Tab Collection Program.
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to aiding families of children struggling with illness.
Their Soda-Tab Collection Program provides a way for individuals to contribute by collecting and donating aluminum soda tabs. Students have been taking part in this initiative to show their support for Fennig’s son, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor most commonly found in children.
“I took him to the emergency room because he wasn’t acting right. He had headaches and was throwing up, and I had talked to his doctor.
[The doctors] scanned him and found a brain tumor. He’s had surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his brain, 30 sessions of radiation and nine cycles of chemo,” Fennig said.
Living far from the hospital would have taken a huge toll on Fennig and her son. Between chemo, physical therapy and other daily appointments, the 45-minute drives to and from the hospital would’ve added up to hours in the car every day. Ronald McDonald House Charities provided an alternative: she and her son could live near the hospital during the week, then go home over weekends to spend time with family.
“When you are getting treated for cancer, it’s not the best situation. It would have been much harder on his body. [Staying at a Ronald McDonald House] was a much more stable situation for him,” Fennig said. “It just made it much better, and that’s all I really cared about was trying to make it the best I could for him.”
Vanessa Fennig was first introduced to RMHC after a close friend whose son was also diagnosed with cancer nearly three years ago reached out to suggest the organization.
“When she saw and heard that he was diagnosed, she immediately reached out to me, and she just gave me a lot of resources. Then I asked the proton center if they could help me get a spot there while Tommy was being treated, and luckily, they had space for us, so that was really helpful,” Fennig said.
The project has evolved into more than just a fundraiser for the AP Research teacher; it’s now a source of inspiration—a gesture that shows just how deeply her students care.
“I have students who come in every single day, and they put tabs in the thing. Every day, I have students who have brought bags and bags from their homes. So it’s been so uplifting and exciting to see,” Fennig said.