TBCF: Celebrating 21 Exceptional Years 

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) proudly marks its 21st year of standing with families battling cancer in the tri-counties in significant ways. What began as a humble grassroots effort has blossomed into an organization now synonymous with hope and critical financial aid for families enduring the trauma of pediatric cancer.

Despite its modest office on upper State Street and a small but dedicated staff, TBCF has consistently proven its remarkable ability to make substantial impacts with limited resources.

As the holiday season approaches, TBCF launches its Season of Hope campaign to raise critical funding for its mission. The centerpiece of this campaign is “Project Holiday,” an effort designed to provide holiday meal baskets, Christmas trees, grocery and merchant gift cards and Christmas gifts to all newly diagnosed families who fall within their service umbrella. Notably, these gifts extend not only to the child undergoing treatment, but also to their siblings and any other children living in the household. The Project Holiday program is just one of many extraordinary, personalized programs designed to deliver tangible aid to family homes.

The 2023 year included new program funding by American Cancer Association (ACA) that granted hotel and transportation funding for families receiving treatment outside the tri-county area. Many of the families served by TBCF each year must travel out of the area for treatment. Gas and lodging costs are one of the myriad “hidden costs” of cancer treatment and is never covered by insurance. The ACA grant helped alleviate the financial burden with gas and hotel gift cards to all families in treatment, regardless of their income level. 

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation was able to distribute $70,000 in direct support and exhausted the funding by August but continues to provide gas and lodging support to the new families coming into their service through the remainder of this year. This was made possible through the incredible success of their Golden Gala, held on October 7 at Les Belles Fontaines. The Gala’s generous sponsors and guests ensured that the event fundraising goal was surpassed, allowing TBCF to continue unprecedented levels of support to families. Major sponsors of the Golden Gala included Earl Minnis, Kris and Marlene Gomez, Nurture Cottage, Kennedy Wilson Charitable Foundation, Donna Barranco Fisher and Dr. Robert Kammer, Martin and Kerrilee Gore, Alan and Mary Jane Miller, Rudi Schulte Family Foundation, Village Properties, Arlington Financial Advisors, Ray and Michelle Avila, AIMDyn Inc., James and Vanessa Bechtel, CenCal Health, Kate and Art Coppola, J. Paul Gignac, Hearts Aligned, Pati Kern and Andrew Pfeffer, The Luke 12:48 Foundation, Peter and Kathryn Martin, Susannah E. Rake, Studio Engineers, Inc., Leifur and Nicolette Thordarson,and Thyne, Taylor, Fox & Howard LLP.

Additionally, in a milestone moment, TBCF expanded its financial assistance program in 2023. Previously, support was available only for families with children under 18 years of age. Thanks to increased donations from generous individuals, grantors, and the community, TBCF can now extend eligibility to 21 years (provided the patient is treated under a pediatric protocol). The expansion reflects TBCF’s commitment to supporting families through every stage of their cancer journey, especially as they confront the unique challenges of adolescence and young adulthood.

“When a child turns 18 or 21, they don’t miraculously become an adult overnight. They’re still in high school or college or living with their family or reliant on their parents in other ways. It just feels right to support them the way we’re supporting the other children and teens we serve.” shared Dr. Corey Pahanish, TBCF’s Executive Director. “We’ve wanted to do this for years, and now we finally can. It’s beautifully serendipitous that this is happening on our 21st year in operation.”

As in every year since TBCF’s inception, a growing number of families are qualifying for services and TBCF is continuing to provide them with financial assistance, emotional support, and educational advocacy. To date in 2023 TBCF has provided services to 144 families in the tri-counties, 35 of which were diagnosed this year.

Until there’s a cure for cancer, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation will continue to provide meaningful, necessary, and unwavering support to families along the Central Coast. To learn more about providing hope to local families battling pediatric cancer, please visit TeddyBearCancerFoundation.org.