The Club of Savannah Harbor will host the second William Webb Memorial Invitational Golf Tournament June 10. Proceeds will be donated to pediatric cancer research.
On March 8, 2013, William Webb II was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma.
The little boy’s parents, Danielle and William Webb, are both health-care workers. William Webb is a pediatrician at SouthCoast Health in Richmond Hill. Danielle is a pediatric dietitian at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah.
They knew the outcome of William’s diagnosis was not in the 3-year-old’s favor. He battled cancer for the next 11 months, including five surgeries, seven rounds of chemotherapy and various clinical trials. All fell short of curing William of this aggressive cancer.
He went into hospice care and died Feb. 5, 2014. William and Danielle Webb are committed to making a difference in other children’s lives that are facing the scary battle of cancer. Thus, the Warriors for William Foundation was created. Warriors for William focuses on raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer research.
Starting a nonprofit organization is no easy task.
"The biggest challenge to starting Warriors for William Foundation was the paperwork involved to become a nonprofit 501(c)(3)," Danielle said. "It took a little time, but patience paid off and we are proud to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization."
William’s picture inspires his parents daily to continue to push forward and strive to find a cure for pediatric cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, neuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest or spinal cord. It can also be caused by a gene mutation. Neuroblastoma is usually diagnosed in children younger than 5.
While treatments are available, most cases are caught by the time the cancer has spread. According to CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death among children in the United States. Neuroblastoma only accounts for 5 percent of the 16,000 diagnoses of childhood cancer each year.
Danielle Webb said the annual Warriors for William 5K and family fun day will be held at J.F. Gregory Park at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.
"We are looking to add an event in spring 2017, so stay tuned as details will be coming," she said.
For those who don’t golf or run, donations can be mailed to Warriors for William Foundation, P.O. Box 30834, Savannah, GA 31410.
To register for the golf tournament, participants can send their information to warriors4william@gmail.com or go to the Club at Savannah Harbor’s website at www.theclubatsavannahharbor.net/william-web-memorial-invitational-2016.html to sign up. Golfers must register by June 3 to participate. The Club at Savannah Harbor is at 2 Resort Drive in Savannah.
Shotgun start is at 8 a.m. All participants will start simultaneously at different holes. The registration "Big Ticket" includes a tee buster on the 14th hole, in which one member of the team is allowed to hit from a forward tee, and an eagle putt on the seventh hole.
The golf tournament will also have a 50/50 drawing. Half of the raffle proceeds will go to the drawing winner, and the other half will go to the Warriors for William Foundation.