PLAY THE
July 2021
BY
tcjayfund.org
Our mission is to help families tackle childhood cancer by providing comprehensive financial, emotional, and practical support. From diagnosis to recovery and beyond, we are part of the team, allowing parents to focus solely on their child’s well-being. Our goal is to BE THERE for parents facing the unthinkable so they can BE THERE for their families.
Jay Fund Voices
Coach’s Corner
Kasey’s Fmaily at Summer Camp
Coughlin and McGillis Families
Dear Jay Fund Team, How time has flown. It’s difficult to believe that prior to our annual golf tournament we hosted in May, we had not gathered together in over a year. It was so wonderful to literally see so many faces. Thank you to all who attended. We raised a record breaking $781,000, and we are so grateful for your generosity. For those of you who may not know, this was our first golf tournament without Jay’s father, John McGillis, who passed away this past spring. I am sure that he and Jay are toasting all of you with a Guinness, and maybe even high fiving over the announcement of the inaugural McGillis Family scholarships which went to two very deserving cancer patients named Jacob Rudd and Taylor Saffelder. Congratulations, Jacob and Taylor! As the rhythm of the summer season draws us to carefree days and a vaccine beckons us to resume our travels, I am reminded that a child in active treatment who cannot be vaccinated
does not have that same relaxed luxury. It is a stark reminder of how blessed we are and the importance of home. Home should always be a place that restores, especially when you are tackling childhood cancer. I know this to be true for Jalayah in New Jersey. Her family was able to focus on getting Jalayah well, particularly during the pandemic, because you helped take care of paying the utilities, rent, and grocery bills. Because of you, home was that refuge for them when they needed it most. Thank you. I wish you a safe and healthy summer as you head off to reunite with family and friends.
Tom Coughlin Founder and President
“Thank you all so very much for helping with our mortgage and car insurance this month. It is a huge help! I don’t know how we would have made it this far without the Jay Fund. We are eternally grateful.”
- Andrea, Gunner’s mom
“I just wanted to say thank you for the Mother’s Night In box. I definitely appreciate it and everything you’ve done for Zoey. Our girl was diagnosed with brain stem glioma in June of 2020. She’s a trooper during these trying times and always looks forward to your Zoom activities. I am grateful as it helps keep a sense of normalcy and inclusion. Thanks is not enough for everything you’re doing.”
- Tamara, Zoey’s mom
“Remembrance Weekend is something I look forward to every year. What you provide for us has helped me look at myself and realize I’m normal in thought of grievance and I’m able to help others who have lost a loved one. You all help me to be strong when I’m weak.”
- Remembrance Weekend parent
From the CEO
2021 Celebrity Golf Classic
Dear Friends, The summer we have hoped and patiently waited for is finally here, and we know everyone is eager to return to all the things we’ve missed - family, friends, going to school, to the office, to the movies and sporting events, and traveling. We are eager too, but if there is one thing that COVID reinforced this past year, it is how much our families tackling childhood cancer need us. During the pandemic, we saw an 18% increase in need for emergency help with household bills, and we granted EVERY request. We provided 23% more support for groceries, ensuring all families had food on their table. The Jay Fund was able to expand programs and partner with others to provide access to more comprehensive resources while continuing those already being offered. 94% of families who received financial support from the Jay Fund last year said it was helpful in easing their family’s financial burden. We never would have been able to do any of our work without you. We hope that in September, when you are fully recharged, you will join us in marking Childhood Cancer Awareness month in some meaningful ways we have planned. But until then, enjoy your summer and safe travels to all.
PRESENTING SPONSORS
The Bisignano Family
The McGillis Family
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Dr. Saundra Jackson & Mr. Wade Andree The Chartrand Family Karl G. Estes Foundation
Matt and Karen Fairbairn The Hill Family
Larry, Sarah & Dan Kerr Merriam Team, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Pablo River Partners
SPECIAL THANKS TO Barr’s Transportation Beaver Street Fisheries Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q
Borland Groover Eisman & Russo Kavalieros Family in memory of Ellie Kavalieros Todd & Amy Martin
PA R T N E R F O R P A T I E N T S
Miller Electric National Football League New Era Nike
O F F I C I A L M E D I A PA R T N E R
North Florida Sales Riddell Suddath
The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Celebrity Golf Classic is proud to be supported by
2021 Wine Tasting Gala Even though we made the decision to forgo this year’s Wine Tasting Gala, thank you to the sponsors who continued to give in honor of the event.
Keli Coughlin Joyce
Charity Navigator Rating The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation has earned its eighth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the highest possible rating. Charities are rated by evaluating financial health & accountability and transparency. Ratings show donors how efficiently a charity will use their support today, how well it has sustained its programs and services over time, and their level of commitment to being accountable and transparent.
tcjayfund.org
Jay Fund Family Stories
Mikaela, right, & her sister, Vivienne Bentley
Coach Ron Rivera on Zoom with Bentley & his mom, Jessica
Bentley As we have all experienced, COVID has been hard on everyone. We have missed things in our lives this past year—birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family vacations. But for kids with cancer, moments are constantly missed due to their treatment and health. The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund wasn’t content to sit the pandemic out. Instead, it set out to create some of these missed moments for the children and families it serves. Sadly, for patients tackling cancer, missing out on events and celebrations becomes a part of their daily lives. So, why not create some of these missed moments for local patients and their families. Here is a moment no longer missed. When Bentley was just three years old, his mom Jessica noticed that his lymph nodes were swollen and brought him to the emergency room. “They were doing his vitals and discovered a heart murmur, so they immediately did some chest x-rays and found a large mass above his heart,” Jessica remembers. “They did some additional tests and it turned out to be leukemia. I literally dropped down to my knees. That was a life changing day for sure.” Shortly after Bentley was diagnosed, his case worker introduced the family to the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund. Over the past few years, the Jay Fund has helped the family pay for gas, groceries, utility bills, and provided special experiences as a ‘day off’ from cancer. Due to hospital and national protocols for Covid, Bentley was unable to fully celebrate his end of treatment. So the Jay Fund teamed up with Coach Ron Rivera, head coach of the Washington Football Team, for a virtual celebration. Coach Rivera and Bentley finished their cancer treatments around the same time, so they celebrated by ringing bells together via a video call to signify their end of treatment. Bentley asked Coach Rivera questions about football and his cancer experience and Coach offered Bentley some great advice. Like most first graders, Bentley is looking toward the future. He is super smart at math and reading and he wants to play football and baseball next year, but, according to mom, only if he keeps his grades up!
Mikaela Mikaela is an imaginative, delightful 10-year-old girl, who was barely three years old when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Germ Cell Tumor, a very rare form of cancer for children. She has had multiple relapses, and has undergone numerous treatments, surgeries, and bone marrow transplants. Mikaela is currently splitting her time between Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC for a clinical trial that involves frequent hospital stays. Over the course of seven years, she has championed every stage of this journey with strength and perseverance. The Jay Fund has been by her side by helping with grocery gift cards, mortgage payments, utilities bills, phone payments, transportation/auto assistance, holiday support, as well as inviting Mikaela and her family to events. “I am beyond grateful for the Jay Fund’s emergency fund,” says Mikaela’s mom, Yesica. “I feel like I can breathe. I feel like I have someone in my corner. Thank you for the classes you offer, the emotional support, and financial support.”
FOLLOW US @TCJAYFUND #BETHERE
Impact Players The Impact Players Program helps motivated individuals and organizations raise funds and awareness for the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation. Thank you for being part of our team!
January 2021-April 2021 $10,000+ Facebook Birthday Fundraisers*
March 6, 2021 marked 10 years since Kristin Horgan Hiza passed away from cancer. Every year, in memory of Kristin, her friends, family, former students, and former colleagues pay tribute to her life and host Impact Player events to benefit the Jay Fund. Over the last decade, $22,552.72 has been raised in Kristin’s name and memory. Her legacy lives on and in every Jay Fund family.
$1,000 - $9,999 Beads for Buddies Gracyn Pisa Coach Coughlin’s Pick’em Challenge Honey Baked Ham Gift Cards Pints for a Purpose Strings Brewery Roscolusa Songwriter Festival Steve Nix and Kim Paige
$100 - $999 AmazonSmile Backyard Living NJ Birthday Fundraiser Brooks Hicken
Creative Ways to Give Back Alex Gonzalez, a recent Wolfson High School graduate and Jay Fund sibling, chose to give back to the Jay Fund with his final Eagle Scout project. “I would like to dedicate this project to an organization that has helped my family throughout the years,” said Alex. “Through my brother Liam’s treatment, the Jay Fund provided aid that was very appreciated among my family.” Alex’s younger brother Liam was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the age of two in August 2009. Since his diagnosis, Alex, Liam, their younger brother John Charles, and their parents have been a part of the Jay Fund Team and have attended parties and special events. Alex’s final Eagle Scout project of hand-built backyard games (Jay Fund Jenga, Connect Four, and Air Foursquare) will be used at patient family events for years to come!
Madyson Eisen’s Fundraiser Pampered Chef Party in Memory of Kristen Horgan Hiza Elizabeth Schuellein & Friends Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery *Special thanks to the following Facebook users who hosted Birthday Fundraisers in honor of the Jay Fund: Brandy Anne, Lucero Bernal, Kimberly Bandino DeFlippo, Cathy DeYoung, Kaitlin Flynn, Tom Free, Andrew Garvin, Brandy GB, Marissa Kollar, Martin Nelson, Eric Rockmore, Karen Sinclair, Jordan James Smalenski, Claudia Sroka, Ben Velishka, Daniel Venema, Ron Holligann White Jr., and Edye Wright
tcjayfund.org
Alex and his brother Liam
Patient Family Support Events
JAYS Team- Teen Siblings at Top Golf
JAYS Team- School Aged Siblings at Adventure Landing
The Jay Fund hosted teen siblings at Top Golf in May. They golfed, ordered whatever they wanted off the menu (including some very delicious desserts!), and met new friends who also have a sick sibling. By the end of the evening, everyone was asking when the next meet up would be!
Also in May, 17 school aged siblings enjoyed a great night filled with laser tag, arcade games, and Oncology Bingo. As they ate pizza, they talked about what is it like to have a sibling tackling cancer. A fun time was had by all and lots of friendships were created.
Pickling with Chef Derrell Smith Former NFL player turned celebrity chef, Derrell Smith, made it his mission to spread love through food - and that’s exactly what he did in March for 40 Jay Fund patients and their families. Nutrition on a budget is important for our families and “Chef Relly” virtually taught them how to do just that with the affordable and valuable skill of pickling.
Virtual Firehouse Tour with Lil’ Bravest
Earth Day Celebration - Planting and Making Healthy Treats
Twenty-eight Jay Fund patients and their siblings tuned in to an interactive firehouse tour that included a lively Q&A discussion with real life firefighters. Thank you to Lil’ Bravest for conducting the tour on International Firefighter’s Day on May 4th! Lil’ Bravest is an amazing group of NYC firefighters from Engine 84 and Ladder 34.
The Jay Fund team celebrated Earth Day with 24 patient families and HealthBarn USA by learning about and planting snap peas. The virtual class also included making yummy No Bake Cookies. “Gianna’s seeds have grown so much. She is super happy about her work and loved the Earth Day Event. Thank you all very much for all you have done for us, we appreciate the joy you bring to the children with the virtual events.” – Juett, Gianna’s mom
Child Life Specialists
Kim Todd, CCLS
Jennifer Duncanson, MS, CCLS
Coming Up:
Child Life Specialists are professionals trained to help children and families overcome and cope with some of life’s most difficult situations. Through age and developmentally appropriate psychosocial interventions, Child Life Specialists help to provide preparation, education, and a sense of normalcy during circumstances that are anything but normal. The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund is proud to have two Child Life Specialists on our team: Kim Todd, CCLS, and Jennifer Duncanson, MS, CCLS. Kim and Jennifer develop and guide programming to ensure that it is both beneficial and impactful for childhood cancer patients and their families. Kim and Jennifer oversee the Sibling Support Program, lead the annual Remembrance Weekend, consult for the AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) Program, and overall advise the Jay Fund staff on best practices. To Kim, Jennifer, and all the Child Life Specialists that help families tackling childhood cancer, THANK YOU for all you do!
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month October is Caregiver’s Month FOLLOW US @TCJAYFUND #BETHERE
GIFTS The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund is grateful for every single gift, regardless of amount. If possible, we would list every person who contributes. However, due to space limitations, this list is limited to gifts greater than $500. JANUARY - APRIL 2021 Barry and Patty Adeeb AT&T Florida Baptist Health System Kevin and Kathy Bing Barry and Lilia Bloom Samantha Braen Leah Burnette Gary and Lynn Busch Christine Carty Robert and Joan Catell Luke and Lydia Cherry Gabe and Chris Cohn David Coughlin Romeo and Rosemary Crennel The CSI Companies Michael Curet Steve DeOssie Tommy Doran
Michael Duncan Diana Faylor Jim and Marion Feeser Perry and Kathleen Fewell David Finkelstein Kevin and Debbie Gilbride Sr. William Goetz Mark Goodman Kevin and Kathy Haley Maryanne Helffrich Rebekah Hodges Tim and Gail Horgan David and Ornela Hovan Thomas and Louisa Isaacs Jamacha Bloom Family Foundation Katie Kirchner Tony LaRussa Michael and Jane Lewis
David and Amanda Lobosco Glenn MacInnes Todd and Amy Martin Brian and Joan McCann Sean McDonough McKesson Foundation Ted McNamara Adam and Annette Meinrod Michael and Kerry Miller Kevin and Janet Neal NFL Foundation Peter O’Keefe Marie Olsen James Peter Ned and Gretchen Peverley Mark Post Paul and Lori Price Warren Rabin and Jennifer Hanawald
Tom and Cheryl Rackley Steve and Sandy Ramsey Thomas and Cathryn Rice Andrew Rothstein Michael Schoenfeld The Shouvlin Foundation Greg and Kate Shurts John C. Taylor Levine and Stephanie Toilolo Anthony Toledo Cris Tongol Trager Family Foundation, Inc. Pavel Vabishchevich Sharin Valia Ward Foundation Thomas Ward Charles and Vicki Wyckoff Salvatore Zuccaro
TRIBUTE GIFTS We deeply appreciate those choosing to give in memory and honor of their loved ones. IN MEMORY OF: Mr. Bhakta Steven Joseph Blaha, Jr. Dawn Marie Boutwell Lyla Burchnell Steven Cantor Joan Colandrea Eileen Coughlin Jamie D’Alessandro Lore DeOssie Jamie Finkelstein Margaret Forgione Trevor Scott Gilbert George Giordanetti Robert “Bob” Harrington Kristin Horgan Hiza Matthew James Luke Johnson William Kemp, Jr.
IN HONOR OF: Jackson Adeeb Jason Aughey Nicholas Barbera Patrick Baumann Claire Bordelon Jalayah Caldwell Doc Carter Judy Coughlin Tom Coughlin Robert Diazz Bill Edwards Jimmy and Jenny Failla Chuck Grabbatin Kathy Haley Savannah Harvey Scott and Michaell Henry
William “Bill” Kennedy Jimmy Leonard Mary Manning Crowley Jay McGillis John “Butch” McGillis Rick Murray Mousa Olayan Sarah Olsen Anthony “Tony” Raimo Kelsey Schiefen Stephane Stachelhaus Czajkowski Michael Allen Stowers Dorothy Swift Kaitlyn Tongol David Turner Katherine Vlavianos Casey Warner
Mark Herzlich Camila Izaguirre The Jay Fund Staff Drew Jordan Brooks Koepka Brian and Patti Long Brian Moran Drew Morano Hank Morano BJ Oehmann Gopal Parikh Jordan Perry Jeff Principe Delice Thomas Cappi Post
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tom Coughlin | Ernie Bono, Sr. | Ernie Bono, Jr. | Gary Chartrand | Brian Coughlin | Tina D’Alessandro Susan DuBow | Dr. Michael Joyce | Mike Lewis | Anne Coxe Mesrobian | Sandra Ramsey | Joanne Robertson
Keli Coughlin Joyce CEO
ADVISORY BOARD
HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS
Kristin Barbato | Kevin Boothe | Maribel Carson | Tim Coughlin | Mark Herzlich Tom Kelly | Mike McGillis | Jon Miller | Sandy Montag | Kate Snee | Allison Stangeby
Judy Coughlin | Fran Foley Ken Tonning
2021 Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Scholars
Marcella Borgenicht TISH FAMILY SCHOLAR
Gabriella Codrington FRANCE FAMILY SCHOLAR
Rian Covington TOM COUGHLIN JAY FUND SCHOLAR
Dane Hagstrom RECHLER PHILANTHROPY SCHOLAR
William Harvey Jr. WEGNER FAMILY STEM SCHOLAR
Samantha Joseph WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL FOUNDATION SCHOLAR
Wil Kehler NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS SCHOLAR
Sara Latic COMMANDER RICK MURRAY MEMORIAL SCHOLAR
Malini Popat BARRY FAMILY SCHOLAR
Jacob Rudd McGILLIS FAMILY SCHOLAR
Taylor Saffelder TOM COUGHLIN JAY FUND SCHOLAR
Isabelle Scott SHERRY MURRAY MEMORIAL SCHOLAR
Jaclyn Shrubsall TOM SCERBO SCHOLAR
Eli Stewart WEGNER FAMILY STEM SCHOLAR
Ashley Torbic NASCAR SCHOLAR
Kayla Williams BISIGNANO FAMILY SCHOLAR
FOLLOW US @TCJAYFUND #BETHERE
Headquarters P.O. Box 50798 Jacksonville Beach, FL 32240-0798 FOLLOW US @TCJAYFUND #BETHERE
THE TOM COUGHLIN JAY FUND FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION UNDER 501(C)(3), Registration # 59-3426937. PLEASE NOTE: A COPY OF OUR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE (1-800-435-7352) REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.