NEW YORK (WABC) -- Thursday is National Cookie Day, a good excuse to eat a cookie, but an even better one to buy cookies with a cause.
There's no counting calories if the cookies you're consuming can help fight cancer. One New York cookie maker is joining the fight against pediatric cancer, a fight that started with a New Jersey mom who baked a lot of cookies.
"I like to think of the cookies as using dough as our canvas, and that I can create whatever I want with cookie-cutters or hand-cuts, any kind of a design can be made in cookie," said Eleni Gianopulos.
She knows a thing or two about cookies. She started Eleni's at Chelsea Market in 1997.
Gretchen Witt is also keen on cookies, but for a totally different reason. She started a foundation called Cookies for Kids Cancer when her son Liam was diagnosed.
In 2008, she even asked Eleni for advice on baking 96,000 cookies to raise money. Now they're teaming up again.
"The fact that she's introduced cookies to help this fight, it was just such a natural," said Eleni.
Eleni's created a box of cookies with inspiring sentiments. 20 percent of the proceeds go to Cookies for Kids Cancer. It's one way to be a good cookie. Another is to donate.
It turns out cookies are a great way to raise awareness and money. Through traditional bake sales and partnerships like this the foundation has raised nearly $11 million.
"We have actually funded 11 treatments that are now availabe for children," said Gretchen.
One of those treatments would have helped Liam, the little boy who walked with a swagger and loved to come to Eleni's.
"He would look for the prince's items and the doll items, and things he knew his sister would love," Gretchen said.
Liam died at age 6, but his short life continues to inspire so much giving.
"It's people like Eleni who get involved, who keep me going because I know that people care and I know that people do care about kids who get cancer," Gretchen said. "The overwhelming goodness in people is so inspiring."
Click for more information about Cookies for Kids Cancer:
http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/AboutUs.asp