Tee Up For Tots is not just a fundraising group. We are very proud to have a dedicated corps of volunteers who are working directly with pediatric cancer patients and their families.

Tee Up For Tots, Inc. has also established an emergency fund for families who are experiencing extreme financial hardship as a result of their child's cancer treatments. Tee Up For Tots will give IMMEDIATE grants for family travel expenses, groceries and other emergency needs.

In addition, Tee Up For Tots delivers over 80"kits" each year to pediatric cancer families. Kits include items such as: phone cards, prepaid gas cards, cafeteria cards, video rentals, a journal, restaurant vouchers, entertainment coupons, disposable cameras and t-shirts.

- Games and Toys

The kit includes a prepaid phone card (so patients can keep in touch with family and friends), UMC cafeteria pass (so much time is spent in the hospital, that eating in the cafeteria is a must!), a journal and pen (to keep track of blood counts, questions for the doctors, important phone numbers and appointments). We also include various other items such as a Tee Up For Tots T-shirt, travel mug, disposable camera and restaurant coupons. These items are our greatest expense, and we distribute over 80 kits per year. Any donations designated to Family Assistance for these kits would be greatly appreciated!

Many patients comment on how life can change so quickly. That happened to Ed and April Lochhead in February, 2005 when 6 and a half year old Danny was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma - a rare bone cancer. Within 30 days Danny started his chemotherapy regime at UMC cycling every 3 weeks for treatment. Between treatments hours on end were spent at the Pediatric Cancer Clinic for many ongoing tests, red blood transfusions, platelets and illness due to chemotherapy. During the time spent in clinic, Danny often commented on wishes and needs to make his days a little easier. Danny sustained the treatments for a full year during which he had multiple surgeries performed to remove the tumor that had grown in his chest. Danny is now remission and just celebrated one year of being cancer free!

HOPP is the latest subdivision of TUFT created especially for making life a little easier for patients and their parents when they are being treated at the Pediatric Cancer Clinic. There are many patients that rarely are admitted to the hospital for treatment (chemotherapy, transfusions, etc.) and whom are treated within the clinic only. Unfortunately these patients do not receive the same rights as those admitted as a patient within the hospital. Therefore, HOPP's goal is to raise money to make life "in clinic" a little easier by providing more conveniences like a refrigerator, infusion chairs for toddlers and adolescents, room makeovers, microwave, computers, printed materials, educational dolls, etc. We would also like to have a fund that the nurses are able to utilize for conferences and ongoing education. We are maintaining an ongoing wish list created by the patients, parents and nursing staff. Although some of the items seem small, they are significant to the children who spend days on end in the clinic. For further information, please contact April Lochhead at 520-247-2760.