-
- Posted Monday September 21, 2020
September 27th Hope Through Hollis Golf Tournament funds TGen childhood brain cancer research
Fundraiser at Papago Golf Course remembers 7-year-old Phoenix boy and his valiant fight against DIPG cancer
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Sept. 21, 2020 — Adult cancer can be like a punch to the gut, but childhood cancer is not only devastating and heartbreaking for the child and their family, but also for neighbors, friends and sometimes the entire community.
That is the story of little Hollis Doherty, whose amazing fight against a particularly aggressive and deadly form of childhood brain cancer brought together thousands of Arizonans, including some of the state’s most iconic sports celebrities, to root for this cherubic 7-year-old.
His memory lives on during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the form of the Hope Through Hollis Golf Tournament, which will be held from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Papago Golf Course, 5595 E. Carsten Way, Phoenix. This 5th annual fundraiser will support the Hope Through Hollis Fund at TGen, which since 2017 has supported innovative childhood brain cancer research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope.
“Our brave and beloved Hollis is an example for us all; not just those with cancer, and not just other children with cancer, but for all of us — an example of living every moment to the fullest. He set a high bar for all of us and remains the inspiration for our #MostBestDays movement,” said his father, Shane Doherty.
Hollis passed away in January 2017 of DIPG, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, after his family searched the globe for a cure. His parents, Shane and Shawnee Doherty, remain tireless advocates for all the other little Hollis’s whose families are still fighting to find a cure, or at least better treatments.
Tournament adheres to COVID-19 protocols
The upcoming Hope Through Hollis Golf Tournament will be held outdoors, following social-distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocols established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and local public health officials.
“We anticipate a beautiful day for this tournament as we continue the fight against DIPG,” said TGen Foundation Event Manager Jennifer Patel, who urges tournament attendees to register for the Sept. 27 event at www.tgen.org/events or by emailing her at [email protected].
TGen Foundation, in total, has raised more than $1 million for DIPG research at TGen, due in most part to the many families like the Doherty’s and community support from the Arizona Diamondbacks and many others.
DIPG is a form of central nervous system tumor that forms from glial, the supportive tissue of the brain and spinal cord. The average survival time following diagnosis is one year.
Instead of competing against other research organizations, TGen is teaming with investigators from across the nation and around the world in a coordinated push to advance potential new therapies for DPIG.
“The most critical members of the team are patient advocates and families, like Shane and Shawnee. They are a continuous source of inspiration and motivation, driving ever-expanding research and fostering a dynamic network to deliver positive outcomes for children battling this terrible disease,” said Dr. Michael Berens, Professor and Director of TGen's Cancer and Cell Biology Division, and head of TGen's Glioma Research Lab.
The Doherty family's struggles have been featured by many Phoenix-area media outlets, and Hollis was supported at events hosted by major Phoenix-area sports teams and by individual athletes.
To read more about Hollis, please go to: http://www.hopethroughhollis.org/
or visit: https://www.facebook.com/TOGETHERWeWIllEndDIPG/
To donate to the Hope through Hollis Fund at TGen, please go to: www.tgen.org/hollis
# # #
About TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases: CityofHope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen.
Media Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
