FOUNDATION AIDS KIDS, PARENTS IN CANCER FIGHT.

Byline: CAROL ROCK

valleynews.com

The Michael Hoefflin Foundation is known for its cancer research, but the nonprofit organization is about much more than that. Each year, it provides financial and emotional support to hundreds of families with children battling cancer.

Based in Santa Clarita, the foundation was established in September 1995 in honor of Michael Hoefflin, who was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was in kindergarten. Several treatments were given to the young boy, but the disease proved too tough to beat and Michael was 10 when he passed away on May 15, 1996.

The foundation carries on the hope of his parents, Chris and Sue Hoefflin, as well as his extended family. There are currently 260 families receiving support from the foundation, said Scott Schauer, executive director.

When a child is diagnosed, volunteers provide the family with a backpack that contains a blanket, notebook, pen, flashlight, camera, supermarket gift cards and hospital parking passes. It was a backpack that brought Juli Winter and her family into the comforting support of the foundation when her son, Noe Marquez, 9, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last December.

"We were at Childrens Hospital (Los Angeles) and they gave us this backpack," Winter said. "It had all kinds of little things in it, but he was fascinated with the flashlight. It made him feel so good and took his mind off the treatment." She called the foundation offices to say thank you for the gift and talked with Kathy Riley, who coordinates family services.

"I just wanted to thank them, but they were really concerned about Noe and called me every now and then just to check in," Winter said. "It's so wonderful to have someone call you. I told them there were other people who probably needed more help, but they said they wanted to help us."

Winter, a single mother, holds down three part-time jobs to make ends meet. When Noe was in Childrens Hospital, the foundation provided her gas cards, parking passes and grocery store gift cards for six months.

The foundation also provides emergency support if a family requests help and has covered mortgage or utility payments to help them over a tough patch. If a child loses the struggle, the foundation is there as well, providing a $2,500 bereavement gift.

"We've lost 19 this year, including a 2-year-old, on Aug. 24," Schauer said.

Foundation volunteers also provide emotional support. Twice-monthly group meetings are available focusing on families and their psychological needs and bereavement. Family events, such as days with the Galaxy soccer team or bowling at Santa Clarita Lanes, going to the pumpkin patch or Mountasia provide needed breaks for families.

Most of the funding comes from events such as the annual Evening Under the Stars, a gala dinner featuring headliner entertainment as well as live and silent auctions.

The event, which started out in a friend's backyard, has grown into one of the biggest fundraisers in the Santa Clarita Valley. Nearly 1,200 people are expected to attend this year. The 14th annual gala will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Mann Biomedical Park, 25111 Rye Canyon Loop, Santa Clarita. For tickets to the gala or information about volunteering, call [phone] or see www.mhf.org.

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