The Sam Day Foundation: Together from the Start
On March 11, 2023, the TPG Foundation was the presenting sponsor of the 9th Annual Sam Day Soirée, a fundraising event for the Sam Day Foundation (SDF), which advances research for childhood and young adult cancers and facilitates wellness-centered support and experiences so kids with cancer can survive and live well. Four hundred guests came together at the soirée to celebrate the foundation’s work and enjoy each other’s company, raising nearly $417,000 for the SDF mission in the process. “We are just thrilled,” founder Lorna Day says. “The event sold out several weeks in advance this year. We organize it ourselves, thanks to our incredible committee of volunteers who care a lot about the mission of the foundation.”
Many are shocked to learn that only 4% of the budget from the National Cancer Institute is dedicated to childhood cancer. Researchers rely on funds raised through foundations like SDF to move research forward and update treatments, most of which haven’t been changed in more than 40 years. Research for childhood cancer is decades behind adult cancer; the kids who survive often face life-long health conditions as a result of the toxic treatments they receive.
SDF has long had close ties with our company and team. In fact, TPG President Sarah Friend has been a foundation board member since the beginning – not only because she feels strongly about the cause but because she and Lorna Day have been family friends for years. Their young sons were very close; all experienced tremendous sadness when the Day family lost their teenage son Sam to cancer in August 2016, six years after his diagnosis.
“Sarah and TPG have been all in with SDF from the beginning,” says Day. “TPG’s support has helped us grow as an organization, expand our impact, and give new hope to families facing this devastating diagnosis. Besides sponsorships and donated office space, TPG team members attend our events, volunteer, and make valuable contributions to our mission. They help promote SDF publicly to grow our community of supporters and they are proud of our work and invested in our mission. This endorsement speaks volumes – it’s not only exposure [for SDF], but it says something about TPG’s character.”
When asked about SDF’s goals for the year, Day is enthusiastic. “It’s so exciting! Last year, we achieved a major milestone, having donated more than $1 million to research. This year, we are planning to grow our capacity and build a bigger team so that we can increase our impact and accelerate research. We are also excited to boost our wellness program and to reach more kids with a message about living well through cancer.”
Save the Date in 2024
Mark your calendars for March 16, 2024, when the foundation will hold its 10th Annual Sam Day Soirée – all are welcome to attend. “It’s also my anniversary with my husband, so maybe we’ll tie that in – we’ll celebrate all the couples who have gone or are going through the same challenges.”
If you’d like to learn more about Sam’s story, donate to the foundation, or become involved as an event volunteer, visit samdayfoundation.org.
