Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation considers its 20th anniversary year to be one of its best years.
“This has been one of TBCF’s most remarkable years for so many reasons,” said Brittany Avila Wazny, TBCF’s senior development director. “We’ve had the privilege of working with the children we supported in the early years who are now volunteering with us as adults.
“It’s been absolutely inspiring to see how many children are flourishing after their cancer journeys,” she said in a news release. “They’ve truly transitioned from surviving to thriving, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
The foundation was started 20 years ago by Nikki Katz, and in the time since then, the nonprofit’s mission has grown to providing financial, emotional and educational support to Tri-counties families who are battling pediatric cancer.
2023 was marked with a number of new grants, including the American Cancer Society’s combined $70,000 grant to provide funding for out-of-town transportation and housing for families treated outside the Tri-counties such as Stanford Medical Center, UCLA, City of Hope, Cedars Sinai and others.
This support will be distributed in the form of gas gift cards and hotel payments and is in addition to the Direct Financial Assistance families receive. In 2022, more than 85% of local families served by the foundation were treated outside of the Tri-counties, or over a 50-mile radius from home.
“With the current price of gas, these drives placed additional stress on an already traumatic situation,” said Ms. Wazny. “Being able to assure our families that their transportation is covered and that they’ll have a comfortable place to sleep while their child is in treatment away from home is such a comfort.”
Additionally, the Luke 12:48 Foundation provided a substantial holiday grant to surprise every TBCF family currently in treatment with more than 65 gift cards and memberships to Costco, at a $750 value per family.
The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation worked with a past TBCF family — Ronnie DeBrum, general manager of the Santa Maria Costco, and wife Laura, retiree from Costco — who secured additional gift bags for each family with donated items from Costco to lift the Christmas spirits of TBCF families.
“It is a powerful blessing and so inspiring to be a vehicle for good between two faith-based supporters and our families during such a traumatizing time,” Dr. Corey Pahanish, TBCF executive director, said in a news release. “We are all beyond grateful to be in a position to surprise our TBCF parents with this generous gift, in addition to fulfilling the kids’ wish lists, delivering Christmas trees and so much more. It also serves as a reminder to our families that they are not alone in this, and there is some bit of normalcy as they endure the unimaginable.”
In the 20 years since TBCF’s inception, the foundation has provided over $2.5 million in direct financial aid and served thousands of families in the tri-county area.
To learn more about TBCF’s programming, visit www.teddybearcancerfoundation.org.
email: dmason@newspress.com
