P1 Charity Golf Tournament Supports Brooke Strong Fund

P1 Charity Golf Tournament organizer and P1 Vice President Dave Beebe will tell you every time: “It’s about the cause.”

Golfers and volunteers alike came back together for the annual P1 Charity Golf Tournament event in September, 2021, golfing for a great cause.

In past years, proceeds from this event have benefited organizations like Warriors’ Ascent, Working Families’ Friend, and The Research Foundation.

A NEW CAUSE WITH A SHOCKING STATISTIC

Did you know that only 2%-5% of the funds raised for breast cancer research are dedicated to Stage IV breast cancer? And yet this very disease takes 40,000 lives each year.

This alarming statistic hit home for Brooke Harris, a Kansas City woman diagnosed at age 36 with stage IV (or metastatic) breast cancer.

Brooke, with the help of family and friends, decided this was a cause worth creating a fund for, and thus the Brooke Strong Fund came to be in 2018.

“I have been overwhelmed with everyone’s generosity of time and resources since the inception of the fund,” Brooke said in an informal speech following the golf tournament.

“I remember it started with lemonade stands, kids bringing bags of coins and cash. Anything anyone could give, they did.”

Today, the fund has grown exponentially, and Brooke was proud to announce the fund recently made a donation of $175,000 to the Saint Luke’s Foundation.

The gift will be distributed to Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute, and will support their metastatic breast cancer program, with an emphasis on research and clinical trials.

SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK

Following four rounds of chemo and regular maintenance treatment at Saint Luke’s, Brooke was fortunate enough to reach a status of NED, “no evidence of disease”. However, due to the metastatic nature of her Stage IV cancer, she will never be in remission.

“It is my dream that if enough money goes toward important research, we will see people in remission from Stage IV breast cancer,” Brooke said.

“We will see survivors.”

Nearly 130 golfers attended the event at Shamrock Hills Golf Club, and enjoyed an outdoor lunch and raffle prize giveaway following the game.

P1 will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Brooke Strong Fund.

If you would like to donate to Brooke Strong, visit BrookStrongMBC.org, or click here.