Foundation events continue to support a team approach
Marc Miller says he knew from the day The Rory David Deutsch Foundation was established that Ross and Mindy would give their all to ensure that its work would make an impact on cancer research and on the people who joined them to support it. “Even before Rory’s death, they were committed to different charities and their community,” says Marc, who serves as the Vice President of The Foundation’s Board of Directors. “They are the epitome of people who give without being asked. That type of character, and their unending desire to help find a cure to this horrible disease, has really been the driving force of The Foundation for the last ten years.”
Active with The Foundation since its beginnings, Marc has seen Ross and Mindy’s giving spirit reflected in the many ways people have supported The Foundation since 1998. “Unlike other charities, we’ve not simply had one or two regular events but a collection of many different types of events,” he says. “So many people have found their own way to be a part of it. The generous and clever ideas have ranged from the man who played ‘100 Holes of Golf for Rory’ to the head of a produce company offering a percentage of sales over a holiday weekend. People have done whatever they can to raise money, and that also includes kids selling lemonade or offering their Bar Mitzvah money to The Foundation. We have contributions that range from $5 to $5,000. It’s people of all ages doing what they can because they care. It’s really been incredible.”
The historic timeline that follows highlights many memorable Foundation events over the years. Among those that stand out in Marc’s mind is the 2002 gathering billed as “An Evening With Coach K” that raised $230,000 for The Foundation. At the event, legendary Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski delivered what Marc describes as “an incredibly inspiring speech. This speech stressed that in working toward a cure to pediatric brain cancer we all must work as a team. I will always remember that evening,” Marc says. “Coach K reinforced the approach that Ross and Mindy have fostered from the beginning.”
Marc is a Rory team member always ready to help in any way necessary. “I’m basically on call,” he says. “Rory was like a son to me, and this organization is a way to do something to help other families that might find themselves in the same painful situation. We all know finding a cure is an uphill battle, and that can be frustrating. We continue to see progress, and in some cases that means a new treatment that allows a child to live a few more months than originally expected. The ultimate goal, however, is a cure. I know that Ross and Mindy will never give up. When you look at what they have done, and all of the people that continue to come forward to help, you see there are many people right by their side. We’re all in it for the long haul.”
