Ways To Donate

In 2022 Team Matt Strong won the award for most participants in the race as well as the highest dollar amount raised.  Our team had 56 runners / walkers and raised $11,299.

In 2025 Team Matt  Strong again won the award for most participants and raised $16,782 which was the second highest of all the races in the country that year.

A big thank you to Laura and Mary, Matt’s aunts, who organize the Matt Strong team and do a phenomenal job fundraising!

Sarcoma Foundation Of America – The SFA funds and advances research, educating and providing resources for people diagnosed with sarcoma, advocating on behalf of the community, bringing together the collective sarcoma voice, and growing awareness about the disease.

Beat Childhood Cancer – This organization was founded by parents and drives progress through tailored, targeted, and child-informed treatments, clinical trials, and novel research. Since 2010, they have been developing and expanding a strategy to treat cancer in a way that’s specific to each child.

Matt is currently participating in a clinical trial sponsored by Beat Childhood Cancer involving chemotherapy treatment paired with a drug called DFMO. Beat Childhood Cancer obtained a tumor tissue sample from Matt a few months ago and had it sent out to the biotech company Caris Life Sciences for further analysis.  Using AI and genomic sequencing, Caris produced a very detailed analysis of Matt’s specific cancer.  A Beat Childhood Cancer tumor board then met to discuss the results and determined this particular clinical trial would be of most benefit for Matt.

Previously, Matt also participated in another clinical trial sponsored by Beat Childhood Cancer.  Unfortunately cancer returned while on the clinical trial so Matt had to discontinue it.

Beat Childhood Cancer is in the forefront with trials and treatments giving Matt a chance.

Angling For Relief – Angling for Relief is a nonprofit organization that combines passion for fishing and a desire to bring a smile to the faces of children battling cancer.  They’re based right here out of Tampa and founded by Jake Klopfenstein who is just a few years younger than Matt.

Jake visited Matt one day in the infusion center when Matt was getting treatment.  He invited Matt to join them at one of their many free fishing outings.  Unfortunately Matt always seemed to be too tired from treatment to attend.  However in April, 2025 when Matt had some good, energetic days Jake arranged for Matt and I to do an inshore fishing charter.  It was a great time, and Matt caught a nice snook among several other fish that day.

Angling For Relief also invited us to another fishing event the very next weekend so we were able to attend that as well.

Childrens Dream Fund – Based in St. Petersburg, this nonprofit has been bringing dreams to life for over 40 years. They support families beyond the dream itself—offering surprise gifts, uplifting experiences, and meaningful moments through their Beyond the Dream program.

In May, 2023 the staff at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital referred Matthew to the program.  The great folks at Childrens Dream Fund met with Matt and Jan to plan an all expense paid vacation.  Matthew chose a few nights at a resort in Puerto Rico, a place we had visited a few years earlier.  Childrens Dream Fund paid for everything including flight, hotel, excursions, food, and even a limo to and from the airport for three of us!