SANTA BARBARA — This year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) will be honoring The Lilley Family and Summaer Cole & Susie Perry from Ventura as they host their annual Gold Ribbon Campaign throughout the month of September, to raise funds during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the annual in-person Gold Ribbon Campaign Luncheon at the Four Seasons Biltmore has been cancelled, which is a major source of funding for the nonprofit. This year, the Campaign is solely focused on raising funds and awareness for the organization and the families they serve.
During this challenging time, TBCF has been providing even more services for families,including money for rent assistance, grocery gift cards, additional emotional support groups with licensed therapists, virtual and in-person tutoring, meal and care package delivery, and virtual family fun events to keep their kids engaged.
COVID-19 is creating even greater challenges for local families battling childhood cancer.Community support has made it possible for TBCF to provide additional financial assistance to 31 local families who have been severely affected by the pandemic. TBCF is proud of this year’s honorees for their esteemed efforts in helping children facing cancer both before and during COVID-19.
The Lilley Family will be receiving the Pay-it-Forward Award. After their son, Brad Jr. beat cancer, they wanted to give back to children who continue to fight their battle. After treatment, the entire Lilley Family came together and rallied for TBCF. The Lilley Family has volunteered, held fundraisers, hosted events for TBCF, and Brad Jr.’s Dad, Brad Jay has even shouted out TBCF numerous times on his radio station, KTYD.
Summaer Cole & Susie Perry will receive the Helping Hands Award on account the countless hours they have spent directly helping TBCF families in Ventura County. These extraordinary women have delivered food to TBCF families, provided holiday gifts for TBCF kids, and this year (during COVID-19) delivered mother and father day baskets to local families who have been during quarantine. Even battling her own cancer journey, Susie Perry has been volunteering tirelessly for TBCF with Summaer Cole by her side.
2020 GOLD RIBBON CAMPAIGN HONOREES: Pay-it-Forward Award: The Lilley Family
Courtesy photo.
TBCF is proud to announce its Pay-It-Forward Award to the Lilley Family. The Lilley family was dealt a horrific blow in 2010 when their seven-year-old son, Brad Jr, was diagnosed with Leukemia. He was treated for 3 ½ years at Cottage Children’s Medical Center and their family received a variety of financial and emotional support services from TBCF. To show their appreciation and “pay-it-forward,” the family has done much to support the organization that supported them. Brad Jr.’s father, Brad Jay, local DJ on KTYD, has promoted the work of TBCF over the airways as well as emceed multiple TBCF community events. His wife, Taraas also joined by providing testimonials about the support they received. Brad Jr.’s older sister Damiana has been an intern for TBCF, fundraised for the organization through the Youth Philanthropy Program, and has also shared their family story during TBCF events. The other siblings have volunteered in various ways over the years including delivering Christmas gifts to TBCF families.
“Teddy Bear has helped our family so much and in so many ways since my son was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It started with our only car not running well. They stepped in and paid for all the work to be done (It was not cheap!). They provided emotional support for our family and gave us hope when we were faced with such a life-changing situation. All the fun activities that they offer the families give us an opportunity to meet one another and relax while getting the kids involved in fun arts and crafts. I can’t imagine our scenario if Teddy Bear hadn’t been there for us,” –Tara Lilley
Helping Hands Award: Summaer Cole & Susie Perry
Friends Summaer Cole and Susie Perry have been TBCF’s “Go-To volunteers” for annual Ventura County Project Holiday efforts. These include Project Easter, Project Turkey, and Project Christmas. They reach out to their contacts and friends within the Ventura Community and collect Easter baskets, Thanksgiving food items, and toys for TBCF kids and their families.
With their combined efforts, they have collected literally carloads of Thanksgiving food and Christmas toys from the community and have helped deliver these items to Ventura County Family homes.
Summaer Cole, with the help of her husband who works for Ventura Police Department, encouraged the police department to be a community “hub” for donations of Easter baskets and toys last year. The Ventura Police Department, along with Summaer, delivered 140 Easter baskets collected from the Ventura community, to Ventura County Medical Center as part of our Project Easter Program. Additionally, she set-up Ventura Fire Department deliveries of Easter baskets (in actual fire trucks!) to family homes.
Summaer has coordinated with Warner Brother’s to donate movie themed toys to TBCF kids and has also brought in hundreds of Girl Scout cookie donations for TBCF families each year from various Girl Scout troops. This year, they were used in Mother’s Day and Father’s Day delivery bags for TBCF families.
“This has been an eye-opening experience being able to help these families, while they are going through so much,” said Summaer. “I hold these families near to my heart, even though I don’t know them personally. TBCF is such a wonderful organization, with the most amazing people that are so dedicated to these families. I feel truly lucky to be able to be involved in the efforts.”
Susie Perry has courageously battled cancer on and off since she began volunteering with TBCF. Still, whether in treatment or not, she has worked with Summaer to deliver gifts to Ventura County families. Susie has sponsored kids for Project Christmas, shopped and wrapped gifts for TBCF kids with her own children and has done the same for both Project Easter & Project Turkey.
Her commitment and dedication to TBCF kids and their families seems limitless. Susie has additionally helped put together special birthday parties for TBCF kids in treatment each year, delivered gifts and Christmas trees for TBCF Ventura County families, and served as a table captain at TBCF’s Ventura County Little Heroes events.
“Getting to deliver Project Christmas gifts and trees has been such a highlight of our holiday season for the past six years. TBCF treats each family they serve as if they are their own family. It is such a blessing to work with them,” said Susie.
Other Gold Ribbon Campaign Activities:
- The Gold Ribbon Campaign Online Silent Auction will go live September 25th with a special viewing outside the Nurture Cottage on Coast Village Rd. on Saturday, September 26th between 8am – 11 am. Unique and one of a kind items include: Tim Allen’s voice on your outgoing voicemail, Beautiful items from Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Hermes and Ballenciaga, a David Yurman necklace, a gift basket from Field and Fort, a two night stay and dinner in Palm Springs, Children’s formalwear courtesy of Macy’s and much, much more. Bidding closes on September 30th, 5:30 pm. The auction link is www.32auctions.com/TBCF2020. The viewing will maintain safe social distancing and adhere to all public health guidelines.
- Author Peter Martin is raising funds for TBCF during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month through sales of his book ’s Dragons on the Purple Moon, a space adventure with dragons that reveals that true character lies within. 100% of the book sale proceeds will go directly to TBCF. To purchase the book, please visit: petergmartin.com .
- On September 19th, TBCF is collaborating with The Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC), BumbleBee Foundation, CancerFit, American Cancer Society, The Young & Brave Foundation, Sickle Cell Foundation and Magic Yarn Project to host a Virtual Family Connection Event via Zoom for 50 Ventura County Families, as a part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. All of these organizations, among others, have joined forces as a united front to spread awareness during the month of September in honor of families battling pediatric cancer in our local community.
Support for Tri-County Families during COVID-19:
- With the help of the community, TBCF collected over $7,000 in grocery gift cards, which were distributed with the help of hospital social workers to 50 Tri-County families in immediate need.
- TBCF provided 31 qualifying families with an additional $500 in funding through the Special Circumstances Funding Tier within their Direct Financial Assistance Program. This funding was released to specifically assist families as they battled pediatric cancer during COVID-19.
- TBCF developed a “COVID-19” resource page on their website in both English & Spanish.
- TBCF has worked with multiple partnering agencies in the Tri-Counties to transition their in-person support groups to virtual support groups. By doing so, they doubled the number of groups offered per month, to provide additional bilingual emotional support to families during the pandemic.
- TBCF has collaborated with Create-A-Smile Foundation to host virtual magic shows, storytelling, and fun with Princess Jasmine & Captain America for little ones.
- TBCF’s Family & Donor Care Associate created a YouTube Series during the pandemic called “Storytime with Steve”, where he has been reading children’s books in both English & Spanish for TBCF kids. The organization has also hosted “Storytime with Steve: Live” events where their kids participate in virtual pajama parties, bring their favorite stuffed animals, and listen to Steve read stories.
- TBCF partnered with Shalhoob Meat Co. when the pandemic hit and began gifting meals to families in need. A delivery of 30 Shalhoob dinners were provided to Tri-County families during that time.
- As the annual Mother’s Spa Day event could not take place, TBCF assembled 37 Mother’s Day goodie bags, bouquets of flowers, Mother’s Day cards, cookies, beauty products, and fruit picked from community trees by Teen Glean. TBCF partnered with American Cancer Society in delivering these beautiful packages to local moms of children in treatment.
- TBCF additionally delivered Father’s Day packages to 30 Tri-County dads. Packages included meals, handmade Father’s Day Cards in English & Spanish from National Charity League volunteers, Girl Scout cookies, special Father’s Day cookies, and Hamburger Habit gift cards.
- TBCF volunteers additionally collected and delivered cleaning supplies for families in need of them as requested by hospital social workers.
About TBCF — TBCF advocates for families living in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties that have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support. For more information and to donate, please visit: https://bit.ly/31I8Gkm