Polo for Life, a Wellington-based nonprofit that supports families and organizations battling pediatric cancer, recently donated $100,000 to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. The money will go to families of oncology patients requiring financial assistance during their child’s treatment.
“When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it’s a life-changing event for the family, and not just in the medical sense,” said Don Eachus, director of development at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. “At least one parent becomes a full-time caregiver, and that loss of income means that there may not be enough money to pay mortgages or rent, electric or phone bills. That’s where our assistance fund comes in to, at least temporarily, cover those costs.”
Polo for Life founder Brandon Phillips and Board Member PJ Rizvi both have first-hand experience with pediatric cancer, with Phillips diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 14 and Rizvi losing a sister to the disease. The two were joined by Polo for Life Executive Director Barbara Bell Cook for the check presentation event at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington.
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. A level one trauma center, it combines advanced technology, the expertise of board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered approach to heal the body, mind and spirit of those it touches.
The hospital’s nonprofit foundation focuses on philanthropy to positively impact patients, families, and underwrite programs, facilities, and equipment that support the facility’s mission. To learn more about Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, visit www.jdch.com.
