Patrick and I would like to thank our board of directors, executive director, donors, and our amazing volunteers for all the support that has been given to Payton’s foundation. Our families not only are fighting for their child’s life, but also dealing with the financial issues due to cancer and COVID19. Thanks to all of you, 92% of our expenses are directed to programs.
We have increased the number of families served through our PWF programs by 171%. Our board of directors completed a full governance overhaul to hone the policies and procedures. We have continued to stay the course of our goals. Our passion and joy come from helping families who are faced with financial and emotional decisions that come with a child’s diagnosis of cancer. They need our help more than ever now due to COVID19. Patrick and I have experienced the fight first-hand with our daughter, Payton, and we want to enable families to solely focus on the health of their child. We cannot express how something as simple as a gas card or a rent check can make the difference economically for a family. We assist families at hospitals, both locally and nationally, and would not be able to do so without the generosity of supporters like you. Your compassion is our inspiration. Thank you! You have made a real difference in the lives of the families we assist. We wish you well and please stay safe.
Our Sincere Gratitude,
Holly and Patrick Wright
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When a child is diagnosed with brain cancer, he/she usually requires weekly or daily treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and/or proton therapy. Often the hospital is not close to the family’s home, which causes challenges with transportation and work obligations. In many cases, at least one parent has to either take a leave from work or quit his/her job.
Without that income, families struggle to pay their household bills while being at the hospital. We work to help ease this burden on families so they can keep their focus on their sick child. Cancer does not discriminate against age, race, or socioeconomic status. The Payton Wright Foundation works through social workers in hospitals and treatment facilities to identify those families in need of support.
“Andrew was born a healthy, full-term baby boy, in May of 2016. After being tested for what had initially presented as GI issues at one-and-a-half years old, the pediatrician ordered an MRI. After the 3-hour test, we learned that he had a tumor growing out of his brain stem and was scheduled to have surgery right away.
After his surgery, he suffered one complication after another for five weeks after surgery. I was very overwhelmed but I knew I would do whatever it took to care for him.
It definitely put a financial strain on us. We were a two-income family now had only one income for a family of five with now even more expenses with multiple trips to the hospital, countless follow-up doctor appointments, special diets, additional insurance to help with the added expenses, etc.
We found The Payton Wright Foundation through a co-worker, and they immediately sent us gas cards and a beautiful stuffed animal frog. Andrew's first follow up MRI after surgery showed that he had growth of the tumor and he was then diagnosed with brain cancer. Andrew had suffered so many rare and serious complications that the doctors did not feel they could put him through another surgery, and so Andrew started 70 weeks of chemotherapy.
I still could not go back to work. Andrew had so many follow-ups with all of his specialists and now he would have weekly chemotherapy treatments. We tried to stay afloat on just one income but there were times when thankfully we were able to lean on The Payton Wright Foundation and ask for help. Chemo was hard on Andrew's body but overall, he did well and finished chemotherapy on March 29th.”
~Melanie (Andrew’s Mom)
There are countless thank yous owed to our incredibly generous and committed donors, sponsors, vendors, contributors, volunteers, fundraisers, and friends. Because of you, we were able to increase the amount of assistance given to families, allowing them to be with their child for as long as needed. To have so many individuals, companies, and families supporting our mission and making a lasting impact is a true gift.
First we would must thank the sponsors, donors and volunteers that made our two major fundraisers, our Annual Golf Outing and Palette, the most successful to date. These events take an incredible amount of work and passion and we are so thankful for the time and money put forward to help with PWF programs.
Thank you to It Works Gives Back Foundation and Mark & Cindy Pentecost for their tireless commitment to the families we assist. We are so grateful for the Yacht Squat and SYC Cares for hosting a clever fundraiser, “Yacht Dogs” that was matched by the Sarasota Community Foundation that helped bring in extra funding for families. We couldn’t help as many families without the help of organizations like Cardell Homes and their annual fundraiser. Thank you also to the ladies who crocheted and knitted hats and blankets with love for children in the hospital.
We also would like to thank Scullers Draft House for their fantastic annual golf tournament, the Sarasota Kennel Club for their continued hosting of meetings and events, and Intermedia Productions for their outstanding video production work. Without community funding, The Payton Wright Foundation would not exist. We appreciate the continued support of our sponsors, donors and volunteers.
Partner Hospitals
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Palmetto Health
VCU Children’s Hospital of Richmond
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital
Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Medical University of South Carolina
Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota
Children’s Hospital of Orange County
Louisville School of Medicine
Emory Proton Therapy Center
Louisville School of Medicine
Children's Hospital of Orange County
Levine Children's Hospital - Atrium Health
St. Louis Children's Hospital
Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
UF Health/Shand’s Children’s Hospital
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Duke Pediatric Brain Tumor Center
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital
Texas Children’s Hospital
Virginia Commonwealth University Children’s Hospital of Richmond
Children’s Hospital Colorado
The 2019 Payton Wright Foundation Board of Directors
Patrick Wright (Chair) | Holly Wright (Vice Chair)
Cole Collins (Secretary) | Kym Berceau | Steve Cavanaugh
Jack Collins, Jr. | Eric Fleming | Jordan Fleming
Keith Martin | Keith Mercier
Robert Morelli, M.D. | Brian Porter
Staff
Meg Lokey (Executive Director)
