NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — For 14 years, generations of AYJ Fund youth volunteers have worked to support families fighting cancer — one smile at a time. 

 

The non-profit was founded in memory of Anna Yan Ji Arabia, who became an angel at the age of 16 after a 3 1/2-year battle with gliomatosis cerebri. 

 

Today, the young adults who step up to volunteer for the organization carry forward the positive and outgoing spirit for which Anna is remembered.

 

The work these teens do to bring smiles to children with cancer, while organizing and aiding in fundraising efforts, has earned them the iBerkshires.com Youth for the Future designation.

 

Youth for the Future is a 12-month series that honors young individuals that have made an impact on their community. This year's sponsor is Patriot Car Wash. Nominate a youth here. 

 

Throughout the year, the AYJ Fund organizes initiatives like musical bingo, care packages through its Smiles Program, and bake sales to uplift kids with cancer, help them stay connected to friends and school, and support brain cancer research in the quest for a cure.

 

One of its biggest events is the "Once Upon a Dream" Children's Princess Concert, providing children the opportunity to meet their favorite princesses, and some princes, while raising funds to support the fund's mission. 

 

"Our Anna was the age of many of the princesses and characters in the concert that we put on and in the other activities," said AYJ Fund founder Kathy Arabia, Anna's mother.

 

"I see them helping people that they don't even know and I see the energy that [the volunteers] bring to the events that we're doing. And I can see a little bit of Anna in all of that."

 

Anna always looked out for ways to help others, whether it was supporting struggling classmates or welcoming new families to the neighborhood, she said. She encouraged kindness and compassion, often reaching out to people who needed support.

 

Every year, the fund has more than 40 youth volunteers for its Once Upon a Dream concert. 

 

"To see so many of the young students that we work with now, just doing those same things they are so important to our community, is truly heartwarming," Arabia said. 

 

"It's the best thing that I could imagine … It makes her feel still close to us … I just know that she is just smiling down and continuing to inspire us to continue to do those kinds of events that bring joy to children and that is what truly makes her happy." 

 

Since its inception, the AYJ Fund has had hundreds of youth volunteers who have helped the organization donate more than 6,000 Smiles care packages, 50 laptops or tablets and four gaming units to Children's Clinics, and $1.5 million to brain cancer research.

 

When Anna was diagnosed with gliomatosis cerebri, there wasn't research being done on that particular cancer, Arabia said. 

 

"We decided very early on that we didn't want other families and other children going through what we went through and that children deserved a lot more. They deserved a lot more smiles, she said. 

 

"They deserved a lot of hope. And so, that's what we're trying to do through the organization." 

 

Its programs support children with all kinds of cancer but the research also makes a difference, she said. 

 

"We are seeing a difference. They now understand much more about this type of brain cancer and all kinds of brain cancer," Arabia said. 

 

"The research that is being done right now will lead to finding an effective treatment. It will take a little while longer, but we are fully committed to believing that that will happen."  

 

Rhaya Marie Wright, a Drury High School sophomore, dresses as Minnie Mouse for the Once Upon a Dream concert and helps coordinate fundraising events, most recently musical bingo. 

 

The goal of the Once Upon a Dream concert is to create a magical engaging experience for the kids by fully embracing your character while raising money for all types of cancer research, she said. 

 

Volunteers with the AYJ Fund can get involved in many different ways, from organizing or helping at events to baking or assembling care packages for cancer patients in hospitals, Wright said. 

 

Seeing the joy and hope brought to patients through the fund's volunteer efforts makes the work deeply meaningful and continues to inspire Wright. 

 

"Youth voices really matter … I feel like we all can make an impact if we all do something together," she said, adding that she hopes the work she does inspires others creating a ripple effect that spreads more joy and hope. 

 

Twins Emma and Eva Ackerman, Hoosac Valley High School juniors, have been with the fund for about four years and both play princesses for the Once Upon a Dream concert. However, this is not the first time they have worked to support those with cancer. 

 

At the age of 4, the twins led a successful campaign to raise money for local people and their families who were struggling financially because of cancer through a lemonade stand. 

 

This effort eventually brought the duo to Arabia, kicking off their involvement with the AYJ Fund. 

 

Those fighting cancer are going through such a hard time and knowing that something they are doing is bringing a smile to their face drives Eva to continue in the work.

 

"I believe it is important for the younger generation to help their community, because it honestly helps such a young person become a better leader," Eva said.

 

"I have overall just grown as a person, and it also has just connected me with such great people that are working towards such a great cause." 

 

Emma said she is driven by a desire to comfort and support people during difficult times and doing so has connected her to people who have changed her perspective on life. 

 

"It's just really fun to create connections and even support people when they need it the most," she said. 

 

Volunteering in general, no matter the area, can help teenagers discover their passions and future career goals, Emma said, adding that her work has inspired her interest in studying oncology. 

 

She believes youth involvement strengthens the community by bringing people together, building relationships, and creating a positive culture in the Northern Berkshire area.

 

The nonprofit not only supports those battling cancer, but also helps volunteers grow, Wright said, highlighting how the work has improved her confidence. 

 

AYJ Fund board member Pam Wilk said a true leader is someone who inspires others to "dream more, do more, and become more … and these kids are true leaders." 

 

The youth volunteers bring their classmates and have touched the lives of many, she said. 

 

"They have made such an impact on my personal life and on the AYJ organization, in the time and the money and the love that they have brought to us," Wilk said. 

 

Cancer has been around for a long time and the world needs young people to carry on the fight against it, she said. 

 

"We need people like these girls and others to carry on the fight, carry the light, spread the word, make people aware of the need for research … it really is an honor to know them," Wilk said. 

 

"I hope that the generation to come continues to step up and and help them with their fight against childhood cancer." 

 

The youth involvement helps the fund evolve to the changing technology, Arabia said, adding that several of the youth volunteers introduced the organization to different types of media to spread the word, such as reels and Instagram posts. 

 

"The youth have brought us ideas on what are new and fun ways to do an event … have brought us skills in social marketing, which is difficult for us to do on our own," she said. 

 

"I recently had a call from someone who told us that our Facebook page looked better than it ever did before.  

 

"Certainly those were not things that I created. They were things that the youth … skilled in creative design and in marketing that gives us the ability to reach out to different groups of people." 

 

You can learn more about the AYJ Fund here.