The Super Sam Foundation will make its first official mark noon Saturday during a cornhole fundraising tournament at CC's Event Center in Fulton.
The foundation's kickoff event, "Toss Out Cancer" features the game of cornhole in which players attempt to toss a bean bag into a hole of an angled board. According to a Super Sam Foundation press release, the event will feature professional cornhole teams from across Missouri and surrounding states. No skill is required, however, and recreational teams and first timers are welcome to play. Tickets can be purchased to play carnival games like plinko and skeeball. There will also be raffles, a silent auction, bake sale and concession stand. Capitol Cornhole, a Jefferson City-based cornhole team, is co-sponsoring the event, led by Matt and Kate Koch.
Super Sam merchandise will be available for sale, including T-shirts, bracelets and car stickers. All proceeds go to the Super Sam Foundation, a new local organization raising funds for childhood cancer research. The Santhuff family - Cassie, Matt and Ava - their family, friends and supporters established the foundation after losing Sam Santhuff, 6, to cancer in September. Throughout his 13-month cancer battle, Sam garnered support from the Callaway County community and beyond. He became a real-life hero to many, as shown by testimonies on the "SuperSam's Heroes" Facebook page.
Sam's mother, Cassie, said creating the Super Sam Foundation was not an option - it was a must for her and the Santhuffs. Cassie and Sam discussed the formation of a foundation in spring 2014 after it appeared that Sam beat cancer. Cassie Santhuff said each time she talked about a foundation with her son, Sam expressed excitement. She remembers Sam patting her shoulder, showing his support of the idea.
"The mom in me has to come out and say, "I can't let another family go through what we went through,'" Cassie said.
The Super Sam Foundation's primary goal is to fund childhood cancer research - an area that Cassie Santhuff said is underfunded. Less than four percent of the National Cancer Institute's funding goes to childhood cancer research, and less than one percent of the total pediatric money goes to researching rhabdomyosarcoma, the form of cancer doctors diagnosed for Sam. Those numbers, Cassie Santhuff said, are "appalling."
"It feels like no one's fighting for them," she said. "It feels like they're being ignored."
The Super Sam Foundation hopes to decrease the funding gap in 2015 with a goal of $65,000. The organization would like to fund one $50,000 research grant in the inaugural year, and remaining funds will go to the "Heroes in the Fight" cause, providing Super Sam comfort packs to children with life-altering illnesses.
At the base of the foundation's vision is Sam's mission to fight for "all the kids." Cassie Santhuff said Sam was always aware of the challenges other children faced - some at times that were more serious than his own - as he underwent treatments at St. Louis Children's Hospital. He prayed daily to "help all the kids in Children's Hospital to feel better."
"He never lost sight that it could be worse than what he was dealing with," she said.
Cassie Santhuff said Sam's "all the kids" mission started with someone 10 years older than him - a 15-year-old boy named Zac battling leukemia who Sam shared a room with for three days. Sam went into Children's Hospital for outpatient treatments weekly, but Zac needed inpatient treatment. Each week, Sam would drop off a painted picture to Zac.
"Seeing Zac's reaction is something I will always keep with me, and that's where "all the kids' started," Cassie Santhuff said.
The Super Sam Foundation will also support "Families in the Fight" with "Ava's Avengers Sibling Support Packs" and caregiver support packs, according to the release. "Ava's Avengers" is named after Ava Santhuff, Sam's twin sister who was at Sam's side throughout his fight. Cassie Santhuff said her daughter developed the "Ava's Avengers" slogan - Cancer's a family fight - all on her own and the words could not be more true.
"This is a family fight; parents lose time from work and need financial assistance and personal support. Many times it is just having someone who understands; that alone can provide the support to see a family through. Therefore we will have a support network available for parents, grandparents and siblings on the website, which is under construction," Cassie Santhuff said in the release.
The Super Sam Foundation consists of a 10-member board from across Missouri. Cassie Santhuff said there is also Callaway County Hero Team of about 50 that will host events to benefit the foundation.
The Super Sam Foundation will host a 5K run on April 25. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the race starts at the Boyd & Boyd parking lot and goes to Memorial Bridge. There will also be a kids' mile.
For more information, email [email protected] or search "SuperSam's Heroes" on Facebook.