(August 31, 2026 | Peoria, Illinois) – In celebration of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois is excited to bring back its Paint the Town Gold initiative this September. Entered into the United States Congressional Record by Rep. Eric Sorensen in September 2025 as an “enduring community tradition in the fight for every child’s health,” Paint the Town Gold activities and events throughout the month will celebrate the perseverance and bravery of children facing childhood cancer while highlighting the commitment of OSF Children’s Hospital to providing expert pediatric cancer care at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute.
For more than 40 years, the pediatric hematology oncology team has cared for children, teens and young adults across Central Illinois and beyond. In the last year alone, the team at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute has conducted nearly 5,000 visits in the clinic setting, treating more than 70 new hematology oncology patients in addition to patients with pre-existing cancers, providing family-centered care every step of the way.
Throughout the month, the Central Illinois community will band together to support children facing childhood cancer by wearing Paint the Town Gold shirts as a symbol of solidarity and displaying yard signs in neighborhoods, at local businesses and in community spaces across the region.
Additionally, OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois invites community members to participate in numerous events and activities to help honor children affected by cancer and raise awareness for additional research and support.
- Sunday, September 6 – Bridge Lighting - The Murray Baker Bridge will be lit in gold starting at 7 p.m. Wear gold and take selfies and photos of the bridge and share them on social media, tagging @OSFChildren’sHospitalofIllinois on Facebook.
- Tuesday, September 8 – Go Gold Day - Wear your favorite gold clothing and accessories and show them off on social media, tagging @OSFChildren’sHospitalofIllinois on Facebook.
- Saturday, September 19 – Dinking for a Cure Pickleball Tournament – Join us at the inaugural Dinking for a Cure Pickleball Tournament supporting Paint the Town Gold and benefiting OSF Children’s Hospital Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. The tournament will be played from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. at Glen Oak Park (2218 N. Prospect Road, Peoria) and will feature adult division brackets in men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, as well as youth division brackets in boys’ doubles, girls’ doubles and mixed doubles. Registration is $40 per team and can be done on the Central Illinois Pickleball Club website.
September is also National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to focus attention on the need for research and treatment of sickle cell disease, a blood disease treated at OSF Children’s Hospital Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Paint the Town Gold will also feature several sickle-cell-focused events.
- Thursday, September 10 – Bridge Lighting – The Murray Baker Bridge will be illuminated in red starting at 7 p.m. Share photos of the bridge on social media and tag @OSFChildren’sHospitalofIllinois on Facebook.
- Friday, September 11 – Wear Red Day – Get decked out in all shades of red to help raise awareness for sickle cell disease. Tag @OSFChildren’sHospitalofIllinois on Facebook to show off your best red threads.
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About OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois:
Located in Peoria, OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois is the third largest pediatric hospital in Illinois and the most comprehensive hospital for kids Downstate. With 136 beds and more than 140 pediatric subspecialists, OSF Children’s Hospital cares for more children in Illinois than any hospital outside of Chicago. Formally established as a pediatric hospital within the walls of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in 1990, OSF Children’s Hospital has more than 7,000 inpatient admissions, 75,000 outpatient specialty visits, 2,400 newborn deliveries, and 18,000 emergency department visits each year. Learn more by visiting childrenshospitalofillinois.org.