Tuesday, April 13, 2010

“Dodge for the Cure” to Raise Money for Martin Memorial Inpatient Oncology Unit

The third-annual Tom Vadas Memorial “Dodge for the Cure” will once again give rusty dodgeball warriors a chance to practice their skills – all in the name of a good cause.

The tournament will be held Saturday, May 8 in the Jensen Beach High School gymnasium. The youth division will kick things off at 3 p.m. and the adult division (ninth grade on up) beginning at 6 p.m.

The registration fee for the youth division (fifth to eighth grade) is $100 per team, while registration for the adult division (ninth grade to all adults) is $35 per player. Each team includes six to eight players. This year there are also two separate adult categories: the Bonzai Division is for those who choose to be more competitive; the Average Joe division is for those a little less competitive.

The tournament was created by Sandy Vadas in memory of her husband, Tom Vadas, who fought Hodgkin’s lymphoma for 16 years before passing away in 2007. Tom spent most of the last year of his life in the cancer unit at Martin Memorial, and he wanted to create a place where patients and their families could feel upbeat and motivated to continue their fight against cancer each day.

“For many cancer patients and their families, the unit becomes a home away from home as they battle the disease,” Sandy Vadas said. “The goal of the tournament is to raise money to purchase amenities that can help make their stays as comfortable as possible.”

In its first two years the event has raised more than $28,000. In its first two years the event has raised more than $28,000. Those funds have helped pay for renovations and refurbishment of a room at the oncology unit where patients’ families can relax. Customized whiteboards were also purchased for patient rooms that help nursing staff better communicate the course of care with patients and their families.

For more information or to register, visit dodgeforthecure.blogspot.com or call Kathy Green at (772) 215-7463. General admission tickets are also available for $3.

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