Let It Be golf outing supports families fighting cancer
Golfers and friends raised funds and awareness in February for the Let It Be Foundation with the annual golf tournament and auction.
The Let It Be Foundation provides support to the families of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses.
“When a child is diagnosed with cancer your entire family dynamics come to a halt,” foundation CEO Ruthe Rosen said. “The fight is too big to fight alone.”
The support comes in many forms, with the goal of contributing to a sense of normalcy in the home and meeting the individual needs of families.
It may include medical equipment, sibling care, counseling, household maintenance, meals or even dog-walking.
Sometimes the concern is that a sibling won’t have a ride home from soccer practice; sometimes it’s as simple as making sure that the dog will get walked and the lawn will be mowed. Major illnesses do not just affect the child with the illness. The whole family undergoes major changes.
Just to be normal
The foundation provides in-depth support for six families, and members know of at least seven more families in Chino Valley that could use their support. The help that the foundation gives comes during the duration of the family’s struggle with the illness, creating a consistent support network.
Rosen was pleased to report that a child in one family supported by the foundation from the Foothills communities is now in remission after a more than 20-month struggle, during which time Let It Be was there for them.
The sold-out golf tournament and silent auction also featured special guest speakers Charlie Hough, Mickey Hatcher and Bill Dwyre of Los Angeles Dodgers fame. The evening surrounding the auction involved a good number of laughs and more than a few teary eyes when hearing about the struggles the children and families face.
Ruthe Rosen told the story of her own daughter, Karla Asch-Rosen, who passed away seven years ago at the age of 15 from an inoperable brain tumor. Karla was the inspiration for the foundation, as it
was “her heartfelt desire to just be normal,” which the foundation tries to make a little more possible for similar families in need.
“They are a great team, and they fill in for the things insurance doesn’t cover in these situations” said Dr. James Lally, CEO of Chino Valley Medical Center and a friend and sponsor of the foundation. “They are class-act people, and it is a privilege and an honor to be able to support them. It is truly a community-based organization, run here and helping right here.”
Upcoming events include the foundation’s 5K Walk-Run on May 11. For details on the foundation and how to become involved, volunteer, or become a sponsor, contact Let It Be at www.theletit befoundation.com, at info @letitbefoundation.com or at 909-613-9161.
For details, call Sarah Dale Schwald at Prime Healthcare Management Inc., 909-235-4320 or sschwald@primehealth care.com.
