Lucky 13… $1,300, that is.

“Confections for a Cause,” organized by three student groups at Indiana University of Pennsylvania—the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Council for Exceptional Children, and Best Buddies—raised $1,300 for ovarian cancer education and research during the 2019 event.

The bake sale, traditionally organized by faculty and staff in the Department of Communications Disorders, Special Education, and Disability Services, transitioned to being organized by student groups this year. This is the ninth year for the event.

In 2018, the event surpassed the $10,000 fundraising mark, raising $1,630 in a single day—the highest total to date. The total amount raised during the nine years of the event is $11,990.

The event got its start because members of the department wanted to honor Vickie Johnson, administrative assistant in the department, who had lost family members to ovarian cancer.

“I've said it before, but I have to say it again: our students are amazing,” Lisa Hammett Price, professor in the department, said. “The students' willingness to take on this project speaks very directly to how much they value the spirit of community here, both in our department and in our university. It's inspiring for me to see how deeply our students care for one another and how much they want to impact this important cause.”

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Funds raised go to the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation Inc. based outside Philadelphia.

“Confections for a Cause” features hundreds of baked goods and sweets of all types, from pies to chocolates, all made and donated by members of the university community. It also includes donations from local businesses.