Charity Work
The Grant Wistrom Foundation, created in July of 2002, strives to allow pediatric cancer patients opportunities to just be children. At a Foundation event they are able to connect with other children who understand their world as both a child and a patient, fostering friendships built on these common bonds. The plight of young oncology patients was brought to Grant’s attention during his senior year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, when he befriended a young Husker fan with leukemia from his home state of Missouri. To help prepare the child for the loss of his hair during treatment, Grant, and Nebraska teammates Jason Peter and Jared Tomich, included Kendall in their pre-game ritual of shaving their heads and presented him with an honorary blackshirt jersey.
The Grant Wistrom Foundation consists of four programs:
Circle of Friends: The Circle of Friends experience begins with a four day Wisconsin winter trip that brings together 40 pediatric oncology patients from 9 U.S. Cities. They enjoy skiing, tubing, disco bowling and snowmobiling, along with discussing the latest fashion trends and the newest music to hit the charts. For many of the participants these new friendships offer encouragement and support as they navigate through their course of recovery. Every two years the group is reunited on a summer trip where new adventures await them. Fellow Seattle Seahawk Jerry Wunsch, Brian Young of the New Orleans Saints, Rich Coady of the Dallas Cowboys, Jared Tomich of the Kansas City Chiefs and Chris Kelsay of the Buffalo Bills join Grant in hosting these events.
Local Outreach: The Foundation supports a number of events that have included, Kids Only Day at a Family Fun Center, a VIP Game Day party, Mom’s Spa Day and a Dad’s Mariners game outing.
Section 98: The Foundation donates ten tickets for each home Seahawks game to pediatric oncology patients and their families so that they may enjoy the Seahawks experience. Each guest receives a t-shirt and a pre game meal.
Charities for Children: The Foundation actively supports various children’s organizations through financial and/or merchandise donations in Washington, Missouri, Nebraska and Illinois.
In addition to the work of his own Foundation, Grant continues to support the work of the Seattle Seahawks Community Outreach program
Read more about this topic: Grant Wistrom
Famous quotes by charity work:
“Reputation is not of enough value to sacrifice character for it.”
—‘Miss Clark,’ U.S. charity worker. As quoted in Petticoat Surgeon, ch. 9, by Bertha Van Hoosen (1947)