After a Santa Clarita boy successfully battled cancer, Team Connor is now looking to give back to the hospital that saved his life during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Eleven-year-old Santa Clarita athlete Connor Coughenour was diagnosed last year with a rare bone tumor called Ewing’s Sarcoma and spent 10 months battling the disease.

Team Connor formed as a support network to Connor and raised over $27,000 for his treatment through a [Go Fund Me campaign].

The team also held a series of blood drives around Santa Clarita to help Connor recover from 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 25 radiation treatments, as well as a surgery that removed part of his fibula.

Team Connor will host the blood drive to support Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

During his battle with cancer, Connor lived at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, receiving hospital homeschooling while he underwent treatment. He was declared cancer free in June of this year.

“We’re just trying to support the Children’s Hospital,” said Connor’s mother Christina Coughenour. “There were times when they wanted to reschedule his treatments because every bed on that oncology floor was full.”

The blood drive is by appointment and there are 50 available. 26 appointments have already been made.

Those interested in making their own appointment can do so [here].

“We want to support those kids (still battling cancer),” said Christina Coughenour.

The blood drive will be held on Sept. 10 at James Foster Elementary School, where Connor goes to school and where the first blood drive to get him through his treatment was held.

The blood drive will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

James Foster Elementary School is located at 22500 Pamplico Dr., Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

“Connor is doing great,” Christina Coughenour said. “He’s back in school, he’s conditioning with his football team (and) he’s practicing with his baseball team.”

To help Connor recuperate from his illness, he works with a physical trainer two times a week.

Connor is also being sponsored by Cancerfit, a group that “rehabilitates kids who have had cancer,” according to Christina Coughenour.

Connor will have his first scan to make sure the cancer has not recurred in September.
– Chris McCrory