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SALT LAKE CITY — Christian Hansen was the boy who never grew up.
That’s what Krystal Hansen says when she recalls how her son, who died in 2005 at age 4, adored Peter Pan.
Christian was diagnosed with the cancer neuroblastoma, which took his life 18 months later.
To honor her son and cope with the difficulty of each anniversary of his death, the South Jordan resident said she decided to spearhead a project to draw awareness and help fund research for children with cancer.
Hansen joined with Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, to create a new Utah license plate in honor of children with cancer. Purchasers of the license plate would make a $25 annual donation to Primary Children’s Hospital for cancer research, Osmond said.
“We have families all over the state that have struggled with this challenging life situation with their kids,” Osmond said. “And there is always need for more financial resources for cancer research.”
Osmond sponsored SB148 to create the license plate, but when he brought it before a Senate committee Thursday, he was made aware of a new process for creating special group license plates.
Now, Osmond and supporters of the Children with Cancer license plate plan to collect 500 signatures of people who would purchase the license plate, as well as $25,000 to manufacture the plates
All funds after the plates are made will go directly to Primary Children’s Hospital, Osmond said.
Due to a vastly supportive community, Hansen said she expects no trouble in collecting enough signatures and donations to create the license plates.
She said while some people may not realize the impact a Children with Cancer license plate could have on awareness and funding cancer research, parents of children who fight the same battle as her son do.
“This license plate, as small and insignificant that it might be to some, will have a huge effect on being able to raise awareness and research funds for those kids,” Hansen said. Email: kmckellar@deseretnews.com
