Westfield fundraisers help young people battling cancer

EmFest: Remembering Emily Settle

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The Settle family created the EmFest fundraiser in July 2017 in Westfield to help and honor their daughter Emily.

In 2016, Emily was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was 19 years old and finishing up her freshman year at Southern Illinois University.

Settle fought hard. She went through two stem cell transplants and multiple trials of CAR-T cell therapy before she died Sept. 19, 2021.

While in hospice, Settle had asked her family to do something for her. She wanted to give back to people who helped her, and families going through the same situations as the Settles.

In hopes of helping, the family created EmFest. Settle helped decide on a logo she loved for the organization.

The fundraisers have allowed the Settles to provide annual gifts to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Riley Hospital for Children, where Settle received treatment.

EmFest, which was designed for all ages to attend, will feature beer, music and an auction Sept. 16 at the Grand Junction Brewery Co. in Westfield. Money raised will continue to help adolescents and young adults battling cancer. Tickets can be purchased and donations can be made on the EmFest website.

Through The Emily Settle Fund, qualified patients can receive a $500 grant to pay for treatment-related transportation, lodging costs, or both. Patients are eligible for new grants every six-month period. Patients can apply for the grants by phone or online through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society website