Connor’s Heroes breaks fundraising record for Virginia families with a child fighting cancer

RICHMOND, Va. -- We have a heartwarming update to a story we shared in March about an art fundraiser to help children battling cancer.

On Friday night, Connor’s Heroes, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, raised a record-breaking $641,000 at their annual Heroes Art Ball to benefit Central Virginia families who have a child fighting cancer.

Each year, Connor’s Heroes teams children up with local artists to create paintings and other works of art to be sold in both live and silent auctions. Some of this year’s artwork included beautiful landscapes, bright flamingos, a majestic elephant, and an abstract paper airplane, to name a few.

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During Friday’s ball at the John Marshall Ballroom in the Hotel John Marshall, the children unveiled and helped auction off their creations. During exciting and fun-filled bidding wars, the children watched their paintings sell for prices ranging anywhere from $10,000 to $28,000. The last featured painting of the night, which will be displayed at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, sold for more than $100,000.

450 guests were in attendance for the 13th Annual Heroes Art Ball, including families of the young artists who are still in treatment or have recently completed cancer treatment.

Founded in 2006 as a salute to Connor Goodwin, who triumphed after 2 1/2 years of cancer treatment as a preschooler, Connor’s Heroes is a foundation that supports families who have a child battling cancer. The organization also helps researchers in their work to conquer childhood cancer.

Additional photo credit to: Kenzi Flinchum Photography