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Issue: # 12
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February 29th, 2008
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OUR PROUD PARTNERS
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ENDORSEMENTS
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100% of Charity Auction Sales
goes to:
25%
Fanconi Anemia Research Fund
25%
PGA TOUR Caddie Benevolent Fund
25%
PGA TOUR Player Charity
25%
PGA TOUR Host Site Charity
(click to go to main site)
National Spokesperson
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Fanconi Anemia Patient
Christian Collins
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Friends
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CADDY FOR A CURE COMES TO THE HONDA CLASSIC IN PALM BEACH
David Kendall of Palm Beach had the time of his golf life at the Honda Classic caddying for World Ranked #7 Justin Rose from England. David found out that not only are "these guys good," but they are terrific guys, too.
Justin and champion caddie Mick Doran treated David to some spectacular shot making, incredible golf education, and terrific fellowship at the Honda Classic. David was simply in awe with their skill, as well he should be. Justin is certainly one of the top choices for players to challenge for a #1 world ranking.
Also caddying at the Honda was Ray Schulte who came in from Maryland to spend the day with fan favorite Fred Funk.
Being involved in professional sports with baseball for most of his career, Ray was happy beyond words that he chose to make the trek to PGA National and spend a day with the "Funkster." One of the coolest aspects that Caddy For A Cure provides in each city we go to is the media attention the winners can receive, and this week was no different.
Kim Bokamper, former Miami Dolphin, "Killer B," and now local sports anchor, came out to do a piece on Caddy For A Cure and Ray was the focus of attention. It is great how each local market sees the value in the multitude of charities benefiting by Caddy For A Cure and want to bring it to light.
Rounding out the most successful week in South Florida was Nashville native and super nice guy Jamey Dennis. A legitimate 2 handicapper himself, he wanted to see how the best in the world do it up close and see if he would get a few tips on how to play better. He got all that and more in PGA TOUR superstar Ben Crane.
Ben teed it up on the spectacular PGA National with Jamey on the bag and played all 18 holes in about 3 1/2 hours. That was not a typo, 3 1/2 hours. If this is slow play, Jamey begged PLEASE do not let me work for a fast player, ever!
When you can stand next to one of the best players in the entire world and watch shot after shot hit absolutely perfectly, how can you not be amazed? Knowing that the entire cost for a day like this ALL went to charity made it all that much better for Jamey.
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CADDY FOR A CURE ADDS NEW PLAYERS
TO 2008 PGA TOUR SCHEDULE
When they find out that Caddy For A Cure is coming, and they can help so many charities, these great players cannot say yes fast enough.
Newly added to the 2008 line-up is Angel Cabrera at the WGC-CA event at Doral in Miami. Justin Leonard and Sean O'Hair will be available at Hilton Head. Olin Browne and PGA Champion Rich Beem will be participating in Atlanta.
KJ Choi will be participating in Akron and Dudley Hart is looking forward to having a winner on his bag in Michigan. Stay tuned for more superstars who care about helping people commit to participate with us!
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FOCUS ON FANCONI
The 2008 Newsletter series will be including a new article each issue featuring a Fanconi family, their situation and the daily issues of living with Fanconi. Fanconi Anemia is a "buzz word" in the medical world these days as the research is proving to be invaluable to not only Fanconi, but to many other cancer related diseases and the advancement in treating and eradicating those problems.
When we searched for our first family to focus on, we looked no further than our fellow PGA Professional Brian Sikkema in Bradenton, Florida. His family is very close to a Fanconi family, the Negrin's. The Negrin's have two boys who are afflicted with this disease and our first issue feature is devoted to Anthony Negrin.
Anthony was a normal 16 year old when he started displaying symptoms typical of bone marrow failure and was subsequently tested for a variety of issues. Doctors discovered that Anthony had Fanconi Anemia. It took the Negrin's (Mom Roxanne and Dad Sergio) a little while just to find out what it was, let alone to know how to deal with it. They had to find a donor and Anthony had to have a marrow transplant. Even with bone marrow transplants, patients are still at risk. Anthony has three brothers, one of whom they found out from their donor research for him ALSO has Fanconi.
United States Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger met Anthony last year at their shared home city of Bradenton, Florida, said this about Anthony: " You'll never see a kid with a better attitude than his, even the little bit I have talked with him...He should be an inspiration to everyone, I know he is to me." Now remember folks, here is a guy who was diagnosed with cancer several years back and fought it off, and Anthony is an inspiration to HIM!
We spoke with Anthony for the first time last week. He was in Cincinnati Children's Hospital for testing for another transplant. When we spoke, one would certainly expect to hear a voice on the other end of the line that would be down and out, feeling like the world had the best of it, and with not much hope. Nothing could be more opposite than what was heard coming through that phone line! Here was the most upbeat, positive, excited young man that any person could imagine. You would think by hearing his voice that his parents had just bought him a new BMW for his birthday.
Anthony Negrin is one amazing young man. We would HIGHLY encourage you to click on this link and watch the YouTube video that he and his parents have prepared. Watch this closely and then try to spend a day in your life and ask yourself: "What's my excuse?"
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STEVE SMITH & GREG CROMWELL CADDY FOR A CURE AT FBR OPEN
Caddy For A Cure recently added some more members to the "family" when Steve Smith of Phoenix and Greg Cromwell of Oregon had the opportunity to walk the famed fairways of the FBR Open at the TPC Scottsdale. And what a perfect day it was.
Steve carried for one of the finest guys anywhere in professional sports, the Swedish superstar Mathias Gronberg. Mathias was pleasant, giving, and kind during the round and Steve enjoyed being with him as much as any day he has ever had on a golf course.
Greg Cromwell's son Travis bought Greg the birthday present of a lifetime with the opportunity to caddy for German great, Alex Cejka. Alex treated Greg to shots unlike anything he has ever seen up close and personal and left Greg with a day of memories that will never be forgotten.
Greg wrote us afterward an amusing twist to the old adage of caddy lingo that says: "Show up, keep up, and shut up." Greg wrote: "While I know I might not have always been where Alex wanted me to be, I was always exactly where I wanted to be the entire day."
Amen Greg. Caddy For A Cure was able to not only give you a 60th Birthday Party that will be remembered always, it also provided funds to people who will never forget you.
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CADDY FOR A CURE PAL GREG RITA HANGING IN THERE
Hall of Fame nice guy and CHAMPION caddie Greg Rita continues to fight off at his home in Ponte Vedra the malignant brain tumor that was discovered last fall. Greg, as many people know, has won three Major Championships - two back-to-back U.S. Open titles with Curtis Strange, then the come from behind victory at St. Andrews with John Daly, pictured here.
We ask that you continue to keep Greg and his family in your thoughts and prayers as he battles through this situation. One of the best ways you can show your support to Greg is by signing his guest book at Caring Bridge that has been set up by his lovely wife, Kelly. Here is the link:
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CADDY FOR A CURE ANNOUNCES
SPEED STIK ON BOARD
"So let me get this straight. I get to come inside the ropes and caddy for one of the best players in the world, on one of the best courses in the world, have the day of my life, AND get some incredible merchandise?"
Yes sir, you do. Caddy For A Cure is most pleased to announce the addition of a Speed Stik to every winner's package when caddying with Caddy For A Cure. Made famous by Caddy For A Cure partner Vijay Singh, this device can easily add many yards to anyone's driving and overall distance. Vijay added 15 yards to his already prestigious driving distance a few years ago and has maintained this for over 4 years with regular use of the Speed Stik.
Speed Stik joins an incredible array of gifts each winner receives, including a Firethorn apparel package, membership in the PGA TOUR Partners Club, a pair of Peak Vision Sunglasses, a Bee Alive welcome package, an Arizona vacation at the exclusive Torreon Resort from Bison Homes, a V1 Home Version software package, and a Rife putter. On top of it all, you get a CD of pictures of your day on the course, an autographed picture of you and your PGA TOUR player, and, you keep the bib that you wear which is suitable for signing and framing.
Companies like Speed Stik and all the above mentioned all "get it." By being involved with Caddy For A Cure, they are giving to some of the neediest people on the face of the earth and they cannot say "yes" fast enough. Thanks Speed Stik, we look forward to some happy caddies this year.
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In the growth of Caddy For A Cure, we have had many people come to view what we were doing and offer their well meaning advice. Always accepted and thoughtfully digested, we never turn down someone who may have a better idea on how we can improve.
The most interesting advice we seem to get is the one where people say "we should pick a different charity that is more mainstream." I have heard this many times over and over. "Pick a popular disease and try to help that. Fanconi Anemia is just not what people want to hear about." I could not disagree more.
While it is indeed rare, it is not rare to the families that have it. My conversation and meeting of the Negrin family answered that question. It is a devastating disease and it needs to be eliminated. Some people care deeply for the Humane Society, some people care deeply about AIDS, others care deeply about a wide variety of issues in life that need help. We care about Fanconi Anemia.
This entire project which has grown so hugely in the world of golf was started with a passion to help with this disease. We are most pleased to write checks to many other very wonderful causes, but make no mistake about it, we are incredibly happy to write those checks to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund.
The simple and mere fact that you have read this newsletter about the best players in the world and Fanconi Anemia in same newsletter is very satisfying, indeed. You have now been made aware of the plight of these innocent families. Why don't you come caddie for a day and not only have the day of a lifetime, but make a huge difference in someone else's life at the same time?
When I see you on the first tee of some fantastic PGA TOUR event carrying one of the best golfers in the world's bag, that huge smile of mine will be from happiness for you, for sure, but the tears in my eyes will come from knowing that your gesture will be helping people like our new friend Anthony Negrin!
Sincerely
Russ Holden
Caddy for a Cure Founder
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