Nonprofit builds playsets and has provided hope for more than 20,000 children fighting cancer across the United States
CHESAPEAKE, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Roc Solid Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides kids across the country who are fighting cancer with backyard playsets, will kick off their annual ‘Play Defeats Cancer Tour’ September 11-13. The tour, which takes place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, will complete an ambitious goal of gifting and building close to 80 playsets and playhouses to deserving families of pediatric cancer patients across the country. The goal of the tour, and the organization, is to build hope for families through play and to create some normalcy for families whose regular activities have been replaced with doctors appointments and treatments.
Roc Solid identified close to 80 families to receive either the Backyard Discovery Woodland Swing Set or the Timberlake Playhouse thanks to the leaders in outdoor play – Backyard Discovery. Each playset and playhouse will be built by a group of volunteers joining to rally the community around the families and provide them with an unforgettable day. People anywhere can also support the foundation by donating any amount at www.playdefeatscancer.org.
Eric Newman, the Founder and CEO of Roc Solid, is a pediatric cancer survivor himself and started the organization in 2009 to make a positive impact on kids fighting cancer and their families.
“When a child is diagnosed with cancer, they usually cannot play in public spaces due to their compromised immune systems during treatment,” said Newman. “Backyard playsets not only provide kids with safe, germ-free places to play, but they also provide an escape from their harsh reality of fighting cancer. We are so excited for this year’s campaign where we have the lofty goal of impacting close to 80 families in just three days.”
This year’s national tour is taking place during September which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, one in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday and every day, 42 families learn their child has cancer. Roc Solid Foundation hopes to one day reach every child diagnosed.
“We are so grateful to the sponsors and volunteers who help make this program possible year after year,” said Newman. “The impact we are able to make by building playsets for children fighting cancer is only because of the donations we receive throughout the year and the communities that rally around our families with support.”
In addition to building playsets, Roc Solid Foundation also offers hospital ‘Ready Bags’ to families of pediatric cancer patients. Ready Bags are distributed through partnerships with more than 160 children’s hospitals throughout the country. They include everything that a family might need for their unexpected hospital stay including toiletries, a blanket, a journal, a tablet and more. Roc Solid plans to distribute at least 5,000 Ready Bags in 2024.
This year’s Play Defeats Cancer Tour is being made possible by sponsors including Amazon, Backyard Discovery, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, Shady Rays, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Manganaro Building Group. For more information on the ‘Play Defeats Cancer Tour’ please visit www.playdefeatscancer.org. For information on how to get involved or support Roc Solid Foundation, please visit www.rocsolidfoundation.org or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and on Linkedin.
About Roc Solid Foundation
Roc Solid Foundation builds hope for kids fighting cancer nationwide through the power of play. The organization distributes ‘Ready Bags’ to families just after they hear the devastating news that their child has cancer, and also provides backyard playsets to kids during treatment. They currently have partnerships with more than 160 children’s hospitals and have provided playsets to kids fighting cancer in almost every state across the U.S. For more info, visit www.rocsolidfoundation.org.
Contact:
Jennifer Podkasik
Arrowhead Communications
630.347.9338
jen@arrowheadcommunications.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/512def30-3dbc-44d1-962a-0b7da0153b17
