After an extraordinary fundraiser last year, the huge success of this year's online auction came as a welcome surprise for the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Support Group.

Since its inaugural event seven years ago, which raised $3,200, the total has climbed every year since. A record amount of $55,000 was raised during the 2018 auction. Committee Member Naomi Fehr says an online tights challenge last year garnered around $16,000 alone, attributing to the record.

The 2019 auction brought in just slightly less than last year's record auction, bringing in $54,000.

The auction is the group's primary fundraiser, and Fehr says more money means they can do more things for families affected by childhood cancer.

"This year we have a bunch of new things that we are doing," says Fehr. "When you're a teen diagnosed with cancer, some of them are set back a whole year, and they lose that motivation to graduate." Fehr says through a new incentive program, if a teen shows them their diploma, they will receive a gift card from Candlelighters.

Also new, Fehr says they are now able to give up to $1,000 to families who have lost a child to help pay for funeral costs and a second parking pass for families staying for extended periods of time on the CK-5 ward at the Children's Hospital.

Fehr says they are also in conversations with the Children's Hospital to explore the idea of creating a "food cupboard" on CK-5.