Having Fun, Making a Difference

6-Dec-2016

​Have you ever wondered about the connection between the events you support and the programs they fund? Here are a few examples of how the community’s participation and financial support benefit key clinical areas at St. John’s Medical Center.

EVENT: RUN & RIDE FOR THE CURE

What It Supports: Oncology Patient Support Fund


Phil Leeds founded Run & Ride for The Cure in 1999 in support of local cancer patients who had to travel for care. He wanted to make sure that community members had a resource to help pay for costs not covered by insurance, such as gas, lodging, and groceries. Even as the Oncology Department at St. John’s has grown, the Run & Ride has continued to support the Oncology Patient Fund. Over the last 17 years, the fund has brought peace of mind to thousands of community members treated at St. John’s.

EVENT: STEVE WINOGRAD MEMORIAL DIABETES TENNIS TOURNAMENT

What It Supports: Diabetes Education

Fifteen years ago, tennis pro Eddie Kolsky founded the Steve Winograd Memorial Diabetes Tennis Tournament in memory of his friend Steve Winograd, who died of diabetic complications. Thanks to the funds raised by the tournament, the St. John’s Diabetes Self-Management Program reaches hundreds of people annually and provides everything from free test strips to support groups to funding for local children with type 1 diabetes to attend camp. Every dollar raised supports community members with diabetes. Kolsky says of St. John’s, “They use the money the right way, and they help a lot of local people here and in adjacent counties.”

EVENT: SHIRLEY’S HEART RUN

What It Supports: Cardiac Care

heart run supporting cardiac care

After losing her mother to a heart attack, Alison Kyle Keffer knew she wanted to do something to give back. “My mom always did everything for everyone else, and I wanted to find a way to keep her name and spirit alive.” Attracting 150 participants each year, Shirley’s Heart Run is the perfect way to unite the town and honor a beloved mother while promoting heart-healthy habits and saving lives. Funds go toward heart-related programs such as the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) screening clinics happening this fall.