KANSAS CITY, Mo. — David Cook, the American Idol champion and native of Blue Springs, is set to return to his hometown this weekend to show support for a law enforcement officer fighting cancer.
The Blue Springs Police Department Lieutenant Brandon Claxton received a diagnosis in November 2024 for
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
—a rare and highly aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The father of four recently lost his spouse to breast cancer as well.
On Saturday, Cook will organize a charity concert at Blue Springs South High School, which is the same high school that both he and Claxton attended.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to have this platform that American Idol and the voters on Idol gave me,” Cook stated.
He mentioned that he attempts to utilize his platform for positive change and contribute as much as possible. Cook expressed enthusiasm about teaming up with the
Blue Springs Citizens Police Academy (BSCPA) Graduates Group
for the concert.
The funds raised will enable Claxton to participate in a new non-chemical therapy clinical trial. This opportunity, however, is located in Houston, Texas.
“This trip will involve lengthy and expensive flights to Houston at least monthly, but Doctor stated that preliminary outcomes indicate a 95% chance of completely eliminating the cancer,” states the Claxton’s Shield website.
Cook mentioned that having the chance to get involved and contribute to helping Claxton was an obvious decision.
“He mentioned that this person and their family have consistently been incredibly gracious,” he stated.
Cook mentioned that he and Claxton attended middle school and high school together—and were also teammates on the same little league football team.
“Cook quipped that his father coached our Little League team, but we weren’t very good at all. He estimated that we managed to win only one out of three seasons,” he recalled lightly.
He mentioned it has been several years since he last strolled through the hallways of Blue Springs South.
“I’m genuinely thrilled about going back. It’s kind of reminiscent of my high school days with a touch of nervousness,” Cook quipped.
“It’ll be a good time. I know the show is going to be a blast, so I hope everybody is able to come out.”
This cause is close to Cook’s heart not only because he grew up with Claxton, but also because of his brother.
“I lost my sibling, Adam, who was older than me, to a brain tumor back in 2009,” he mentioned.
Since his brother’s passing, Cook has been a vocal advocate for brain cancer research. He said he’s been involved with the
Race for Hope
via the National Brain Tumor Society for years.
He’s also heavily involved with
Big Slick in Kansas City
, which has contributed various raffle prizes for the event on Saturday.
If you want to go to the concert on Saturday, the regular entry costs $25. For the “VIP Meet and Greet Experience,” tickets are priced at $45.
People interested in purchasing tickets can
click here
. Tickets can also be bought at the entrance.
Along with the concert, attendees can also participate in a raffle for these prizes:
- Chiefs tickets
- The Big Slick Celebrity Softball Game followed by a Royals match
- The Big Slick event will take place at T-Mobile Arena.
To purchase raffle tickets, head over to
bscpa.org/claxtons-shield
.
People who can’t make it but wish to support Officer Claxton have the option to contribute financially.
PayPal.com
. There are alternative methods you can use to assist as well.
bscpa.org/claxtons-shield
.
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