More than 130 golfers and 30 volunteers turned out for the eighth annual Ken Hayden Memorial Golf Tournament to help families of premature and critically ill newborns by raising money for Saint Francis Medical Center’s Parents With Hope fund.
Since its inception in 2004, the Ken Hayden Tournament has raised more than $200,000 to benefit patients throughout this region.
The birth of a baby is a time for great joy and expectation. When a child is born too soon, however, those hopes turn into fears. As parents of premature twins, Jason and Leigh Ann Siener of Paducah, Ky., experienced this emotional roller coaster firsthand. They also saw that in addition to worries about a baby’s health, many families face enormous financial and life pressures. Because of their experience, the Sieners created the Parents With Hope fund. It provides financial assistance to families of premature or critically ill newborns in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Francis.
Because Saint Francis’ Level III NICU is equipped to care for the smallest and most critically ill newborns, it serves families throughout the region. Many travel long distances and spend months away from home and work while a child receives care. Some are not able to see their babies often because they cannot afford gas or a hotel room. Parents With Hope provides financial assistance for transportation, housing and day care needs during a newborn’s stay.
Since 2008, the program has assisted more than 220 families in the region, offsetting nearly $40,000 of financial costs for gas and hotel rooms and providing more than 1,300 hotel room stays at no charge.
The winners of the championship flight were Jeremy Farnum, Jen Farnum and Josh Lee. Second place went to Janet Loida, Patrick Carron, Jeanne Place and Mike Carron. Third place went to Scott Higgins, Bill Tegel, Susan Dry and Marilyn Curtis.
The Friends assists Saint Francis Foundation in providing services and financial assistance to the Medical Center. Formally organized in 1975, The Friends offers unique fundraising events that have enabled it to donate more than $1.85 million in support of the Medical Center. The Friends Board is composed of people from the community and employees who are committed to serving the Medical Center in an active way.
The winners of the eighth annual Ken Hayden Memorial Golf Tournament are, from left: Jeremy Farnum, Jen Farnum and Josh Lee. More than 130 golfers turned out to help families of premature and critically ill newborns by raising money for Saint Francis Medical Center’s Parents With Hope fund.