Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund is Chicago’s chapter of Project Ladybug, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to easing the struggles of childhood cancer. Dina Manzo, host of HGTV’s "Dina’s Party" and former star of the "Real Housewives of New Jersey", founded the charity in New Jersey in 2007 with the wish to bring financial and emotional support to children undergoing rigorous cancer treatments and their families.

Due to its success, in 2010 Project Ladybug expanded to Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York and Comer Children’s Hospital at The University of Chicago (Comer's). Each individual fund is dedicated in the name of a child battling cancer, and Chicago's is Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund.

Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund was named after a local Chicago girl who was diagnosed with cancer at the tender age of 17 months old. She underwent over two years of aggressive chemotherapy treatment and did so with strength and grace. At 4 years old, Atia embodies the spirit of Project Ladybug.

Atia's Project Ladybug Fund picks up where hospitals and other charities leave off with its three key programs:

• Ladybug Comfort Baskets providing a variety of necessities designed to make long-term hospital stays more comfortable;
• Ladybug Lunches providing lunch for the entire pediatric oncology ward and day treatment area with food from local restaurants;
• Emergency Funding used to help families cover the cost of groceries, rent, transportation, prepaid cell phone, car repairs and other important items.

 Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund understands the emotional, spiritual and financial hardships that cancer patients can face and are working hard to minimize those effects for the children and their families.

Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago 

Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago's pediatric oncology team is focused on all aspects of cancer care for children -- from diagnosis and treatment, to conducting research to find promising new therapies. All of Comer’s efforts are dedicated to helping kids with cancer beat the disease, so they can live active, full lives. Comer’s pediatric cancer program is a core part of the internationally recognized University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is dedicated to uncovering the causes of cancer and in finding the best methods to cure and prevent cancer.