Where your donation goes!

FOUNDATION STORIES

Erickson Family

The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation holds so many examples of love. It's when you get a text message sent to you at just the right time, letting you know that they are thinking of you and sending love. It's the entire Rizzo family making a surprise visit to the hospital, after a long day at the ballpark, just to give you a hug and let you know that you are not alone. It's walking to the mailbox with fresh tears strolling down your face, feeling defeated, only to find a handwritten note of encouragement and financial assistance, to save you from more stress-filled, sleepless nights. It is disproving the myth, “never meet your hero, because they're sure to disappoint you.” The truth is, Anthony and his foundation are heroes to so many people who couldn't get through this cancer journey without them. The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation is a beacon of HOPE in what often times feels like a hopeless situation. Anthony and his foundation are our forever family that assures us that we will never take another step in this cancer journey alone—we will always have their love and support. ARFF is the true definition of family.

Ewoldt Family

Chase, the third of our four children, was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain and spine cancer when he was only two years old and was given six months to live. Not only did he live, but he is even now working through a new, second cancer diagnosis. In our life as a family and in the lives of our children, there is barely a collective memory that is not somehow eclipsed by cancer. Not only do the effects of cancer cover Chase’s precious little body, but they touch our hearts, our minds, our bank accounts, our schedules - everything, everywhere. Yet, with the help of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, we are able to continue to pay our bills, we are able to give our children incredible opportunities, and perhaps, most precious of all, we are still able to see Chase’s smile and give him joy. We are forever, always thankful for the way ARFF and everyone involved in the organization pushes past the word “survival” and makes it a goal to see kids like Chase (and their families too!) THRIVE. Without ARFF in Chase’s life and the life of our whole family, I do not know where we would be. We are better people for their love and have more hope because of their courage.

Hugins Family

The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation has been the constant shining light in our family since Ethan was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at 6 years old. Early in Ethan’s diagnosis Anthony visited him in the hospital and we finally saw a smile. That visit gave both Ethan and our family hope that there is life on the other side of a cancer diagnosis. In the four years since Ethan was diagnosed ARFF has shown up for our family in every way. They have helped us with bills that we were struggling to pay, they brought us to baseball games between hospital visits when our spirits were low. They continue to check-in on us long after our frequent hospital stays have finished. Anthony, his family and the foundation provided smiles, relief and support during the hardest times in our life, they made bad days good, and for that we will be forever grateful.

Provenzano Family

I first met Anthony, when I was probably at my worst day. I was sick and didn't want to be around anyone or do anything. But then Anthony came right up to me not scared of how sick I was, but instead looked at me in the eye and said, "it's ok, I know how it is" and then he kept talking to me and distracted me and flipped my day around. I honestly cannot remember much while I was in treatment but I do remember that he gave me hope. I mean if another teenager going through cancer could come out the other end and live those same dreams that I have, how could I not have hope?!? Hope wasn't the only thing Anthony and the Foundation did for me. You see I had a bone removed from my leg, I went through 10 months of intense chemotherapy I was tired, my body was beat up but I wanted to get back and be strong again, I wanted to play baseball but that meant I had to do A LOT of physical therapy. A LOT. They helped me be able to keep going to therapy and helped my mom and dad so that they didn't have to worry about how they were going to pay for it. The help they gave my family made us be able to spend more time together, which is one of my favorite things about Anthony and the foundation. They not only try to explain to you how important it is to be with your family during these hard times but they also show you by how strong Anthony, his mom, dad, brother and wife are together. I say it all the time, but thank you Anthony, for being the big guy I can look up to.

Burke Family

In December 2015, days after his big 7th birthday party, we took Benjamin to the pediatrician assuming he would leave with antibiotics for an ear infection. Devastatingly, that routine visit would be the start of the most heart wrenching journey for our family. After being urgently rushed to our local community hospital due to abnormal blood work, Benjamin was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Just hours after hearing the heartbreaking news his tiny body was wheeled away from us for a bone marrow aspiration and his first chemotherapy treatment. While still in a complete state of shock, our family was quickly thrown on the real-life rollercoaster that is pediatric cancer. Was this really happening? Heartbreak, anxiety, logistical and financial stress, and utter exhaustion were just some of the complicated emotions we faced in those very first days. Benjamin’s daunting treatment protocol was 3.5 years, the bulk of his entire elementary school career. His little body endured so very much during this time. Watching your child suffer the painful side effects of life-saving poison is simply unimaginable.

Figuring out how to pay the mounting medical bills, mortgage, babysitter and even the daily parking at the hospital quickly became an overwhelming weight as we grappled with Benjamin’s illness. As a newly obsessed baseball card collector, Benjamin was intent on carrying around his Anthony Rizzo cards to and from Lurie Children’s after hearing that the Chicago Cubs First Baseman frequented the oncology unit. Early on in his treatment, Benjamin’s child life-specialist contacted the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation to tell them about a little boy who loved baseball and was struggling to understand his cancer diagnosis. Just like that, a letter of encouragement from Anthony and an autographed hat were delivered to Benjamin’s hospital bed. Several months later during an especially painful hospital stay, Benjamin had the very special opportunity to meet his real-life hero, cancer survivor himself, #44. Over the course of 3.5 years of treatment, our family developed a deep and lasting love for the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Anthony and his family have supported us in countless ways during the darkest moments of our lives. The impact Anthony and his foundation have had on our lives is immeasurable. We are forever grateful for the financial burdens they helped alleviate through the Hope 44 fund, the moments of joy shared at Wrigley Field, and most importantly those quiet exchanges in a hospital room between two cancer warriors.