PT Students Help Make a Splash for Childhood Cancer Research at ‘Fishin' for the Cure'

September 27, 2012

BISMARCK, ND - It turned out to be a "big catch" for a great cause. Ten students from the University of Mary 2013 Doctor of Physical Therapy class recently attended the fifth annual Fishin' for the Cure fishing tournament at the Rock Creek Marina on Montana's Fort Peck Reservoir. The event saw over 200 participants and more than 30 fishing teams catch a boat load of fish and reel in $20,000 for childhood cancer research, more than doubling last year's total. The students' attendance was a huge surprise and loving gesture to their classmate, Katie Siegle, who cofounded the event with her late husband.

"Them being here unexpectedly, showing their support and love brought tears to my eyes," commented Siegle, a class of 2013 DPT student at the University of Mary. "Fishin' for the Cure is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 by Matthew Siegle, Tracy Russo, and me. When the organization started, my husband, Matthew, had been battling Osteosarcoma for five years and dreamed of a day that no child would have to suffer from the painstaking battle of cancer. He later succumbed to cancer in August 2010 at the age of 25, almost two years to the day of this year's event."

Coinciding with the fishing derby and in an effort to raise more awareness for childhood cancer, eight children and adults collected donations to have their heads shaved as part of Be Brave and Shave. The DPT class of 2013 raised over $750 to sponsor one of their classmates, Danny Magana, in the event. The

"Of the $20,000 raised, and after the bills were paid, we were able to put $14,000 towards funding a very promising international collaborative research grant between six countries where there is hope of closing in on a cure," added Siegle, and cofounder of Fishin' for the Cure. "We feel even more touched and blessed, because at the same time our $14,000 was matched by an anonymous donor that brought the total of the research donation to $28,000. We are forever thankful and grateful to that donor."

More information is available at www.fishinforthecure.com or check out the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FishinForTheCure.ChildhoodCancer.

To help ‘Fishin' for the Cure' conquer its fundraising goal and further its effort to find a cure you can make a donation by visiting http://www.fishinforthecure.com/Donate.html.