Wyoming, Michigan-- Cancer affects millions of Americans. In fact nearly 40% of us will get cancer at some point in our lifetime. But when someone you love becomes a statistic well, it's personal and you'll fight it any way you can.
That's what Matt Van Essen is doing with his Purple Potty Project.
When his mother-in-law was diagnosed with liver cancer in November of 2010, he decided raising money to find a cure was the best way to fight it.
So he painted a potty purple and in the dark of night, strategically places it on random front lawns in the Wyoming area.
Then he waits for the phone call where he tells the surprised homeowner he'll remove it for a $20 donation to the American Cancer Society, "I found that most people don't like a purple potty in their yard so they'll pay up the $20 to have it moved to another place."
That's exactly what happened when Kyle and Greg Corfixen woke up on Sunday morning and discovered ~ they'd been flushed.
Neighbors walking by stared, cars slowed down and Kyle and Greg began to think about who would be the purple potty's next target, "I think the kids are kinda plotting who they can kinda prank with their friends and some family of ours and see if they can get them as surprised as we were."
But the Corfixen's didn't seem to mind it too much and that's what's making the Purple Potty Project successful. In just the past few weeks the purple potty has already raised nearly $1,400.