It’s not very often that you come across two talented musicians who are on a mission to support children’s cancer research, but that perfectly describes country duo Hadley Park.
Formed in 2014 by singer/songwriters Morgan Leigh Garner & Courtney Dashe, Hadley Park have a very personal connection to children’s cancer. When he was just 6 years old, Morgan’s nephew Kaleb Leigh was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer of the blood. Today he is bravely battling this disease for the second time, and is an inspiration to everyone he meets.
“I remember sitting in the kitchen with my sister-in-law, having a really hard conversation about the excruciating reality that is children’s cancer,” Morgan said. “Research is so horribly under-funded. These children are our future and they are dying. Something has to change… CureSearch is that change.”
Combining Morgan’s realization about the importance of children’s cancer research with Kaleb’s firsthand experience, the duo partnered with Kaleb to write their first single, “Things I’ve Learned,” which you can watch here:
The song has even been shared on social media by fellow country artists including Martina McBride & Rodney Atkins.
Since the release of the song, the duo has kept their promise to raise awareness for children’s cancer and in 2016 committed to donating proceeds from their fundraising efforts to CureSearch. Their “That’s Another Bottle of Wine Tour” kicked off on June 23 at Affina Restaurant and in partnership with Dawn’s Dream Winery, where they collectively raised more than $1,000 through a wine-tasting concert event. Winery Owner Dawn Galante said it was “an inspirational evening filled with love, laughter and a tremendous focus to help cure children’s cancer.”
Morgan said of the event, “I can’t imagine kicking off our partnership with CureSearch at a better spot. The folks in Carmel are as kind and as generous as can be. It was a magical night, and one I will never forget.”
Hadley Park is still touring the country and fundraising for CureSearch. They’re excited to perform at the Nashville CureSearch Walk in October and are planning additional fundraising performances for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
We’re grateful for the courage of Kaleb and the dedication of Hadley Park, and we thank them all for joining the fight to end children’s cancer.
You can learn more about Hadley Park here, and you can make treatment possible for children with cancer here.
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