OUR STORY
OUR STORY
No child should ever have to deal with cancer.
It’s a horrible disease that beats you mercilessly into submission. It drags your mind, body and soul to death’s door before ultimately destroying the host or leaving as mysteriously as it arrived. It lurks in the shadows of remission and even under the best circumstances, leaves a permanent scar on the survivor.
At the age of 15, Craig Pollard was intensely focused on all things that 15-year-olds find interesting. He was obsessed with baseball. A standout at Villa Park High School in Orange County, California, he lived and dreamed of playing professionally. He wanted to be the first baseman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sometimes reality intrudes on even the best dreams. Like a fastball in the ribs, Craig’s life was rocked by the news that he had Hodgkin’s disease. As the doctor spoke to his family, none of the typical thoughts of horror or despair ran through Craig’s mind. He didn’t ask where the cancer was or how it was going to be treated. He didn’t even ask if he was going to die. The only thought that ran through his teenage mind was whether he would be able to play baseball that season. When the doctor answered with a solemn “no,” Craig realized the severity of his situation.
Never one to back away from a challenge, Craig took the doctor’s prognosis and came up with his own game plan. The treatment included nine months of chemotherapy, three months of radiation and surgery that resulted in the removal of his spleen, appendix and several lymph nodes. All the while, Craig continued to play ball, sometimes more than one game in a day. There were days when he got sick between games from the treatments. He never quit playing. He never took his eye off the goal. He wasn’t going to let cancer slow him down. Craig excelled in school and on the baseball field. It’s a trait he has since found in many cancer survivors. After graduating on time with his class, he earned a merit scholarship to the University of Southern California, and signed a letter-of-intent with the nationally ranked Trojan baseball program. He had a girlfriend, Stacy, and was part of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Life was good.
CRAIG POLLARD Fouder of Cancer for College Over 80% of childhood cancers can be successfully treated. Even when treatment for childhood cancer yields positive results, young patients and their families must reckon with significant changes to their bodies and their lifestyles. — ChildrensCancer.org www.CancerforCollege.org | 3
CANCER RETURNS
Cancer keeps its own schedule and you aren’t presented an itinerary beforehand. At 19, and seemingly invincible to the entire world, cancer reared its ugly head for a second time. This time it meant business. It once again battered his body and tested his will to survive.
As life continued on without him, Craig had to watch from a hospital bed as his friends, family, baseball career and the college experience all seemed to be slipping from his grip. One night, while lying in his hospital bed, he had a conversation with God. Knowing that God is not big on negotiations, Craig nonetheless pleaded for his health. In return, he vowed to make a difference in the world.
After a life-saving bone marrow transplant at the City of Hope, Craig’s health slowly returned and the life he had left behind resumed. He made his way back to the baseball field but much of the passion that fueled his desire to succeed on the diamond had disappeared. Wins and losses didn’t hold the same value that they once did. He wanted to be more than just an emotional leader for a college baseball team.
One afternoon, during batting practice, Craig took one final swing and sent the ball sailing over the fence. It was at that moment he knew that this part of his life was complete. To the amazement of teammates and coaches, he took off the uniform and began the pursuit of a new passion. He began his mission by devoting his time to other survivors. He served as a counselor at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. It’s a special place for families with seriously ill children, a place which nobly tries to restore some kind of normalcy to their lives. After spending some time with the children, Craig became keenly aware that the children were inspired by him. A two-time-cancer survivor excelling in college can have that effect.
Like the proverbial carrot dangled before the horse, the thought of being able to experience something like that gave those children cause for hope. That feeling of hope that Craig experienced through those children set the wheels of invention into motion. Subsequent visits with the parents of these children revealed an alarming fact. Families dealing with cancer use every last resource to fight the disease in the effort to keep their child alive. They often mortgage their present and their future in the battle. Life savings and retirement plans are drained by medications, operations and experimental procedures often not covered by insurance. How do you plan for the future of a child who might not make it through year’s end?
COLLEGE DREAMS ARE FORSAKEN IN PLACE OF JUST TRYING TO KEEP YOUR CHILD ALIVE.
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CANCER FOR COLLEGE IS BORN Craig saw an opportunity to make his impact. During his senior year at the USC Business School, he wrote a business plan for his senior project on a charity that would provide college scholarships to cancer survivors with funds raised through a small golf tournament. HE CALLED IT CANCER FOR COLLEGE.
Since inception, Cancer for College has granted over $2 million to more than 1,000 cancer survivors from around the country. The plan earned him special honors and notoriety. Stacy bought him a how-to book at the campus bookstore on starting a non-profit organization. Alumni thought so much of Craig’s idea that some even sent him money for his inaugural event. With cash in hand, Craig rallied 24 of his closest friends and family members to play in the opening event in 1994. It included a golf tournament and a BBQ in the Pollard’s backyard. Cancer for College proudly awarded its first scholarship totaling $500.
Craig and Stacy married and started a family. With friends, family and fraternity brothers carrying the word to their network of contacts, Cancer for College made steady gains each year. The scholarships grew moderately as did the participation in the golf tournament. It wasn’t until one of Craig’s more famous fraternity brothers got involved that things really started to take off.
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Live from the Delt House, it’s...
WILL FERRELL Will Ferrell was a lowly pledge when he first met Craig Pollard. Ferrell could not recount their first meeting, but he assumed it probably involved being yelled at for some reason long since forgotten. Since then, Will, has established himself as an international superstar in films such as ELF, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory, Step Brothers, the Other Guys and other assorted favorites.
Like many comedians before, Will started his career in the mostly empty bars and comedy clubs around Southern California. Craig and a close-knit group of friends would travel around in support of Will often comprising the majority of the audience. Will participated in a handful of the early events before he took off for New York and landed a featured spot on Saturday Night Live. There he made himself a household name with his depiction of insane characters and spot-on portrayals of cultural icons such as Alex Trebek, James Lipton and president George W. Bush. Each year, as the tournament rolled around, an invitation would be sent to Will and despite being on the other side of the country, he never forgot his friend who had battled cancer. A check would come in with a supportive note included.
As Will’s fame grew, so too did his ability to participate in the event. He saw first-hand the impact that Cancer for College had on the lives of cancer survivors and he wanted to do more. Will and his wife Viveca have made their association with Cancer for College a priority becoming a dynamic part of the foundation. Through their involvement, the golf tournament has become a must-play event with a lengthy waiting list for participants. It’s often said that a person can give time or money to a charity. Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin provide both to Cancer for College. Their contributions have allowed the foundation to grow in ways that could hardly be imagined. In 2007, Will auctioned off a walk-on role in one of his upcoming movies that garnered international publicity and earned nearly $50,000 for Cancer for College. Will’s involvement has had an impact on him as well. He has called Can-
cer for College “one of the purest charities he has ever seen” and he calls the involvement in the events the highlight of his year.
WILL FERRELL at the Cancer for College Golf Classic
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( LOSING YOUR FOOTING )
As if Craig Pollard had not faced enough challenges in life, 2006 brought a new battle. Many cancer survivors are left with a compromised immune system as a result of treatments used to fight the disease. On a rather unremarkable day, Craig went to work at his Southern California-based golf accessory company. He began to feel the effects of what he thought was a cold coming on, but he couldn’t shake it. He quickly decided to go home for some rest. He barely made it. His temperature spiked and his body ceased to function. Paramedics were called and he was rushed to the emergency room. His condition deteriorated quickly as doctors struggled to find the cause of the illness. An aggressive bacterium had attacked his body and was destroying it from the inside out. His organs began shutting down and he was put on life support.
Life is often about making trade-offs. Life was about to make another offer.
the foundation proudly gave its first scholarship to an amputee.
The medication used to maintain Craig’s blood pressure and ultimately save his life constricted blood vessels, but had the alarming side effect of causing his extremities to swell beyond recognition. This compromised the circulation in his feet and hands, in essence, strangling them. Gangrene set in. Doctors suggested amputation and with Stacy at his side, Craig agreed. Both of his feet were taken just above the ankle and while his hands were saved, they received tremendous damage and required months of physical therapy. In Craig’s typical fashion, he turned a devastating situation into a positive. At the 2006 Cancer for College golf tournament, only six months after losing his feet, Craig played golf in his prosthetics and www.CancerforCollege.org | 11
THE FUTURE
Since our inception, Cancer for College has provided nearly $2 million in scholarships to over 1,000 cancer survivors. We now host multiple fundraising events in addition to the annual golf classic held in San Diego each year. Our Taste to Educate fundraiser held in Seattle in January has enjoyed six years of successful growth. We have launched new events in Texas and North Carolina with plans to expand to New York. Awareness of the program is on the rise, thanks in equal part to Craig’s compelling story of triumph, Will Ferrell’s celebrity and the thoughtful generosity of friends and corporate contributors. Cancer for College continues to thrive and grow. Join our on-going mission of providing inspiration and hope to survivors of cancer and amputees who want to to live their dream and share in the college experience.
“I spent 83 nights in the hospital over a seven month period. When I began finding clumps of my waist-length blond hair in my bed and in the bathtub I decided it was time to shave my head. I stopped eating after the third round of chemotherapy and weighed all of 65 pounds before I was put on intravenous nourishment. My biggest goal was to get back to school to see my friends. I just wanted to be a normal kid again.” —KENNA HOLTZCLAW Charlotte, NC Survivor, Leukemia 2011 Wingate University * Freshman in Fall ‘13 Physician Assistant Studies * $1,000 One-Time Scholarship
www.CancerforCollege.org | 13
ANNIKA DYBEVIK
Cal Lutheran University
Survivor, Ewings Sarcoma
ANDREW DOTZLER
Northwestern University Illinois
Survivor, Leukemia and Osteosarcoma
KAELY KWITEK
University of Albany
Survivor, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Insurance companies have rejected the costs of some new and expensive cancer treatments leaving the family to deal with the financial burden of saving a child’s life. — Livestrong Foundation CANCER INCIDENCE RATES IN CHILDREN BY AGE GROUP IN UNITED STATES: CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVAL RATES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE INCREASED FROM LESS THAN 20 PERCENT IN THE 1960S TO ALMOST 80 PERCENT TODAY.
Less than 1 Year
5-9 Years
20.3%
23.6%
11.2%
In the United States, cancer is the second most common cause of death among children between the ages of 1 and 14 years, surpassed only by accidents. More than 16 out of every 100,000 children and teens in the U.S. were diagnosed with cancer, and nearly 3 of every 100,000 died from the disease.
21.6%
12.7% 5-9 Years
15-19 Years
10-14 Years www.CancerforCollege.org | 15
It’s getting more expensive to fight cancer...
The cost of initial cancer treatment has nearly doubled since 1992.” — Cancer Bulletin: National Cancer Institute
EVEN WITH EXCELLENT HEALTH INSURANCE THE COST OF CANCER TREATMENT CAN WIPE OUT A FAMILY FINANCIALLY. Chemotherapy treatment can range from as little as $100 all the way to the 10’s of thousands of dollars. It all depends on your course of treatment. Would any parent decline a treatment that could save the life of a child no matter what the financial cost might be? — Johns Hopkins Health Alerts
TODAY IT IS
400%
MORE EXPENSIVE to go to college than it was only 30 years ago. — Business Insider
Since 1982, the cost of medical care in the United States has gone up over 200% but that is nothing compared to the cost of college tuition which has gone up by more than 400%. — My Budget360 www.CancerforCollege.org | 17
CANCER FOR COLLEGE RECIPIENTS
JOSHUA FINNEY Charlotte School of Law Survivor, Leukemia
SAVANNAH DOWNEY Auburn University Survivor, Brain Cancer
2006 Perpetual Scholarship Recipient MEGAN HICKEY is working as a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurse in the same hospital where she was treated. www.CancerforCollege.org | 19
“People have a choice of how to deal with tragedy; they can either have a positive outlook or just see the negativity. I absolutely cherish every moment I have with my family and friends as if it would be my final day. I think having had cancer has given me a sense of urgency to not just sit around and wait for opportunities to find me, but to be proactive and work diligently toward my goals.” — ALEXANDRA CUNHA San Diego, CA Survivor, Thyroid Cancer Cal State University, San Marcos * Freshman in Fall ‘13 Nursing * $4,000 Perpetual Scholarship
Scholarship recipient MAGGIE BRILLHARDT has completed her doctorate in pharmacy and will become a clinical specialist in oncology.
GINA NESBITT
RICHARD SUAREZ
Survivor, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Survivor, Leukemia
Georgia Southern University
2013 scholarship recipient STEPHANIE WHITE used her scholarship to help earn her nursing degree and is now an RN at an Adult Oncology Unit.
Rowan University
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“My whole life I was preparing to join the Air Force, which in return would have paid for my education. After being diagnosed, I no longer qualify. The qualification is to be in remission for five years which is the only qualification I do not meet. I understand the situation fully and I am now prepared to take an alternate route. A scholarship would mean absolutely everything to my family. This scholarship would turn my dream of going to college and receiving a degree into a reality.” — Drake Baker Apple Valley, CA Survivor, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cal State University, Northridge * Freshman in Fall ‘13 Astrophysics * $4,000 Perpetual Scholarship
FOUNDERS Craig Pollard: Founder, Cancer for College Stacy Pollard: Secretary, Cancer for College The Pollards serve as uncompensated volunteers to the charity CANCER FOR COLLEGE STAFF Greg Flores: Director of Operations Abby Houck: Director of Special Projects Dana Hogan: Office Assistant CANCER FOR COLLEGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Cancer for College is proud to have an amazing group of individuals from all walks of life that give their time to help the charity thrive and grow. We are honored that the following individuals have made our mission a priority in their busy lives. The Founders of the charity and the entire advisory committee serve in a volunteer capacity.
GRAHAM COOPER Applied to Tulane, Pepperdine, Boston University Survivor, Brain Cancer
Will Ferrell: Celebrity Spokesman Cole Brodman: Retired, CMO T-Mobile Dr. Stephen Forman: Director of Hematology and Oncology City of Hope Medical Center Dan Hughes: CEO Coast Environmental Matt Kline: Partner, O’Melveny & Myers LLP Julie Kelly: CO-Founder Flexource Earl Morley: CEO Morley Properties Buck Page: Alderson Family Foundation Alan Rich: Rich Law—Attorney Scott Ripperton: Senior VP Wells Fargo Larry Simon: CEO Life Firms Johnese Spisso: Chief Health Officer, UW Medicine
» CancerforCollege.org/Where_the_Funds_Go_.html
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