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Skim-A-Thon benefits Get Well Gabby Foundation

Event raises $2,700 and still counting
Gabriella Brittingham, 3, of Lewes is one cancer patient who has benefited from the Get Well Gabby Foundation. She has had her leg amputated from Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer that affects muscle cells. She frequently plays in the Oncology Playroom at A.I. duPont Hospital that has been partially funded by the Get Well Gabby Foundation. Shown enjoying themselves at the Skim-A-Thon are (l-r) Gabriella’s mom Missy, Gabriella, and Carolynn and John Vogel. DAN COOK PHOTO
Dan Cook
June 21, 2017
Anthony Brittingham, left, and his sister Olivia get instruction from RELYance Skim Camp owner Dave Bracht. DAN COOK PHOTO
Molly Amerling, 10, of Dagsboro raised $1,000 this year for the Get Well Gabby Foundation. DAN COOK PHOTO
Grace McGuire, 8, of Hockessin plays Blong Ball during the annual event. DAN COOK PHOTO
Get Well Gabby Foundation volunteer Sarah Fritz displays the merchandise to be raffled at the event. Sponsors for the event were RELYance Skim Camp, Exile Skimboards, Coastal Kids Pediatric Dentistry, State Farm Agent Jeanine O'Donnell, Courtney Veirs Bouloucon Realtor, Atlantic Shoals Surf Shop, Bethany Blues BBQ, and Pepsi. DAN COOK PHOTO
RELYance Skim Camp owner Tom Bracht instructs Olivia Brittingham, left, and Grace and twin sister Riley McGuire. DAN COOK PHOTO
Pro skimmer Will Ashmore performs a shove-it during the Skim-A-Thon. DAN COOK PHOTO
Seth Reynolds, 13, catches some break at the annual Skim-A-Thon. DAN COOK PHOTO
Skimmers Kevin Hardy, 12, and Seth Reynolds, 13, hope to catch a tube ride. DAN COOK PHOTO
Joe Kramer gets some major air during the Skim-A-Thon. DAN COOK PHOTO

The third annual Skim-A-Thon to benefit the Get Well Gabby Foundation was held June 17 at Tower Road in Dewey Beach. The event raises funds for childhood cancer awareness and the Get Well Gabby Foundation. This year’s event has raised $2,700 so far and it still has donations coming in.

RELYance Skim Camp held instructional sessions for beginner skimboarders, and games, food and fun were the order of the day that honored Gabby Vogel, a victim of DIPG brain tumors who passed away in 2011. Since her death, her parents Carolynn and John Vogel have made it their mission to raise awareness and funds to fight childhood cancers.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem. The cancer affects the pons, which controls essential bodily functions, such as heartbeat, breathing, swallowing, eye movement, eyesight and balance. Children who suffer from this type of cancer are usually between 4 and 14 years old. Approximately 200 to 400 children are diagnosed with DIPG each year in the United States.

Since the inception of the Get Well Gabby Foundation, it has raised $125,000 to finance the Oncology Playroom that opened in fall 2014 in the newly expanded A.I. duPont Hospital.

The second part of the pledge is to fund a software initiative that will allow oncology patients to have electronic medical records, allowing hospitals to share information concerning diagnosis and treatment data.

Foundation supporters have collected and donated more than $51,000 in children’s books to seven different hospitals through their annual book drive while donating more than $18,600 to families to offset their financial burden caused by medical bills. They have also provided dinners to inpatient oncology patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Hershey Medical Center and annually to A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington.

For more information or to donate to the Get Well Gabby Foundation, go to http://getwellgabby.org. 

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