BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Pediatric cancer can’t stifle a Bethlehem girl’s creativity.
Twelve-year-old Emily FaRannte of Bethlehem submitted her idea of what the next Love Your Melon beanie should look like.
Her design includes a palette of pastel pink, purple, green, and blue with a message of hope on the front reading “U can do it!"
- A 12-year-old from Bethlehem is in a national design competition
- Her idea for a Love Your Melon beanie is one of three finalists
- Votes were cast through Monday and winner is to be announced June 30
"I used vibrant colors to encourage the person to keep shining through the day,” Emily said.
Last year, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and has received treatment at both Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, or CHOP, and Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital.
Now, Emily's design is among the top three finalists for the Love Your Melon beanie contest.
Love Your Melon is an outerwear hat company that has made its mission to support those who are experiencing childhood cancer by supplying them with a warm beanie and donating 50% of its net profits to the cause.
“The contest provides the kids with a chance to just be a kid, show who they are, and how creative they can be!”Jenna Leinwohl, Director, Love Your Melon Giving
“This is our first year hosting the Build Your Own Beanie Design Contest, and we launched it with the goal of providing our hospital partners and families affected by pediatric cancer with a fun activity and goal for the child," Love Your Melon Giving Director Jenna Leinwohl said.
"To take their mind off of their treatment or health journey. The contest provides the kids with a chance to just be a kid, show who they are, and how creative they can be!"
'She loves to give back'
Emily, a Saucon Valley Middle School student, said, “I wanted to enter it so that I could make hats and I can draw because I got markers and I wanted to color. I just love coloring.”
Emily's mother, Adele, said she was shocked when her daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She said winning something like the contest would give Emily a boost of confidence after a tough year.
“She likes to color and make stuff and she loves to give back,” Adele FaRannte said. “So it would mean a lot for the people that helped us, for us to be able to help them.”
“I'm really excited. I'm also very anxious because I want to know who's gonna win.”Emily FaRannte, 12, of Bethlehem, finalist in Love Your Melon beanie design contest
The last day to vote on the Love Your Melon design competition was Monday. A winner will be announced Friday, June 30.
The winning beanie will be manufactured and sold on Love Your Melon's website, with 100% of net profits going back to the hospital or organization of the winner’s choice.
“I'm really excited," Emily said. "I'm also very anxious because I want to know who's gonna win.”
If Emily wins, she said she will split the winnings evenly between Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital and Seacrest Studios at CHOP.
Emily also just finished 12 days of radiation and is awaiting final scans to see if everything looks good, so she can be cleared of her illness and ring the final bell.
