Seany Foundation

The Seany Foundation (TSF) aims to improve the lives of kids and families affected by cancer by operating and/or funding programs that not only bring happiness and joy back into their lives, but that let them know on a deep level that they are not alone. Our goal is ensure that every single child affected by cancer in San Diego and surrounding counties has the opportunity to experience Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky. That means keeping the program free to families and adding camping sessions and programs wherever the need arises. In 2016, we registered our 18,000th camper, and in 2018 we are celebrating our 35th year as an award-winning camping program for kids and families affected by cancer. Our program depends on the generosity of granting organizations and businesses looking to extend their philanthropic reach to include the wonderful kids and families who we serve.

The Seany Foundation continues to expand its reach from local to regional. We will continue to fund and operate Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky, a free summer camping program (yet SO MUCH MORE than "just" a summer camp) for kids with cancer, those in remission, their siblings, and families with a parent with cancer and those families who have lost a child or parent to cancer. Through ongoing conversations with the cancer community, The Seany Foundation will continue to actively develop programs and seek out ways to improve the quality of life for children, teens, and young adults with cancer and their families. For example, in 2017 we also began partnering with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to offer a mental health program called C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Advocacy Research Education Seminar) to our camper population. With C.A.R.E.S. trusted experts give “Doc Talks" to campers, parents, counselors, and staff about issues that are impacting their lives right now, such as fertility issues and health insurance concerns for young adult cancer survivors, post-traumatic stress disorder for parents and siblings, and more.

The Seany Foundation has professional relationships with patients and staff at local hospitals such as Rady Children's Hospital, Kaiser, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, and Naval Medical Center San Diego. Most recently, TSF has begun to cultivate similar relationships with hospitals in the Los Angeles area. These relationships enable the Foundation to stay in touch with the needs and concerns of the cancer community. Working doctors, nurses, and child life specialists lend their expertise to the decision-making process. The organization has a dedicated year-round staff and over 175 volunteers that run events and programs. Co-Founders Mitch Robins and Amy Robins work voluntarily without monetary compensation so that the vast majority of the funds raised go directly to Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky and other quality-of-life programs.

Currently, The Seany Foundation is researching various integrated CRM options to improve donor acquisition and retention, operations efficiency, and overall development. The foundation continues to seek corporate sponsors and in-kind donations for its annual events.

Investing in clinical trials is important and The Seany Foundation will continue its commitment to doing so on a small level. However, we have also learned that gains from these programs can be slow going. We want our donors' dollars to have the greatest impact possible on the lives of kids with cancer, and while all this vital research is being done, there is much that can also be done to help children, teens, young adults, and families maintain their hope for better treatments and potential cures. There is no need to look any further than the smiling face of a patient to see how current programs are propelling TSF forward toward improving the quality of life for kids and families affected by cancer.

As mentioned earlier, we are partnering with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to offer a mental health program called C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Advocacy Research Education Seminar) to our camper population. With C.A.R.E.S. trusted experts give “Doc Talks" to campers, parents, counselors, and staff about issues that are impacting their lives right now, such as fertility issues and health insurance concerns for young adult cancer survivors, post-traumatic stress disorder for parents and siblings, and more. Programs like these are just one example of how we are listening to the needs of our beneficiaries and responding with programmatic support. We will continue to do this as long as their is a child or family in need.