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Steve Hagedorn Memorial Benefit Golf Tournament Presentation
October 20, 2012
LSPD Captain Don Fizzell,
tournament founder; Steve Million, Regional
Director, Modern Woodman, Chad Cox, Courtney
Cox and tournament organizer/sponsor, Mike
Schumacher. front row: Nevaeh Cox, Jeremiah
Cox and Elijah Cox.
Tribune Photo/Ron Wight
By Mary Pechar
features@lstribune.net
Jeremiah Cox is a very typical three year old. With astute wisdom for his years, he is quick to remind everyone, especially his older brother and sister, what is rightfully his, whether it be a public bench, his own stuffed animal or mom and dad, Jeremiah is very clear regarding his feelings.
The youngest of Chad and Courtney Cox three children, the only thing slightly unusual is his very bald head. But then again dad sports the same look. But it is your first clue that there is much more to Jeremiah that is not so typical, Jeremiah is recovering from kidney cancer. At the age of two, doctors found four cancerous tumors, two on each of his kidneys. Kidney cancer is not especially common, making up around seven percent of all cancers effecting children.
Unable to find the treatment Jeremiah needed locally, his doctor continued to search for his best options before referring him to doctors in New York.
Jeremiah recently spent 17 days there where doctors removed 30% of one kidney and 70% of the other.
“People do just well with one kidney,” said Jeremiah’s Mom, Courtney Cox, “so he essentially has one kidney and should be just fine.”
“Although all four tumors were completely removed,” said Dad, Chad Cox, “Jeremiah is currently receiving chemotherapy and is a real trooper, it helps that he could watch Disney for the entire 12 hours of yesterday’s treatment.”
Eighteen years ago, Lee’s Summit Police Officer Steve Hagedorn was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Wanting to do something to help with mounting medical expenses, LSPD Captain Don Fizzell and others pulled together a golf tournament.
Steve Hagedorn passed away in 1996 but the Annual Steve Hagedorn Memorial Charity Golf Tournament continues to grow and benefit others in medical crisis.
As Captain Fizzell was planning the first golf tournament, he walked into a local golf shop looking for sponsorship and support. And there met Mike Schumacher, who just happened to be a friend of Hagedorn. Now 18 Years later Schumacher is still having fun helping people and in his terms, “paying it forward.”
“ That first tournament had 7 or 8 teams turn out,” said Schumacher. “This year we had 41 teams with 164 players and we were forced to turn some away. We have raised $225k in the 18 years all of which has gone to help families with extraordinary medical expenses.”
Part of their success is due to the support of Modern Woodman and Steve Million, Regional Director who has been involved for the past 15 years.
“We have been in Lee’s Summit and Kansas City for 17 years and through our not-for-profit we have put $2 million back into the community,” said Million. ‘’We do a lot of matching funds programs with the school and support other causes like this benefit tournament.
Headquartered in Rock Island, Illinois, Modern Woodmen is great financial fraternity started in 1883 to provide benefits to widows and orphans through a monthly allowance. They also provide headstones for their deceased family member. Modern Woodmen focuses on building the family and securing the family with discounted products such as life insurance.
As Chad and Courtney expressed their appreciation, they were also quick to pay it forward with a promise of their family’s support as volunteers at next years tournament.
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