The Candy Shack idea came from a friendship that formed between Hannah Owens and Dustin Cobb, a 10-year-old boy with neuroblastoma from Atlanta, Georgia. Dustin came to Burlington, Vermont to participate in a clinical trial being held at UVM’s Vermont Cancer Center for neuroblastoma. Upon arriving he was very sick, but a new experimental treatment put him into remission and gave him and his family an extra year together. In July 2008, Dustin’s kidneys began to shut down. It’s hard to say if it was from the cancer or the toxic chemotherapies he had been subjected to for over 7 years.

While Dustin was in Burlington, Hannah helped him make beaded bracelets to raise money for neuroblastoma research at the Vermont Cancer Center. Dustin had learned how to make the bracelets from his friend Jack Brown, a 7-year old boy from London, who was also in Vermont being treated for neuroblastoma.

Hannah came up with the idea to turn the old rickety bus stop at the bottom of her road into a “store” to sell the bracelets. She figured the best way to get kids to come to the store would be to sell candy, “every kid loves candy”. Hannah brainstormed names for the store and decided upon the Candy Shack since it really was more of a shack than a store.

When Dustin passed away, instead of giving up on her idea, Hannah moved forward with even more motivation. Now that she understood what this disease could do, she knew that it was more important than ever to continue raising money for research and to keep Dustin’s spirit alive. A new bond formed with Jack Brown, and with that bond came new inspiration and more importantly, hope.

With plenty of bracelets to sell, all she needed was candy, some paint and a business plan, which her father insisted she write. Hannah went to work and found a partner in Erica Issenburg, a neighborhood friend, who was touched by Dustin and Jack’s story. Together they painted and planned.

The grand opening was announced in the local newspaper with store hours being set for 1-4pm on Fridays. In addition to selling candy and bracelets, they sold t-shirts with the words “never give up, ever”; a slogan that described her mission, the fight against neuroblastoma, and the will to keep going despite the odds. No one ever gets anywhere by giving up.

In August 2008, a month after Dustin passed away, the Candy Shack came to life. With, neighborhood kids, locals driving by and parents coming to support the cause, Hannah, Erica and Jack were able to give a check for $3000 to UVM's Vermont Cancer Center for neuroblastoma research.
They plan to open again this summer.