The Hero Foundation is teeing off today to raise money for families affected by cancer. Katie Larsen is the founder and this cause is particularly close to her heart.
Katie: In 2005 my dad had pancreatic cancer and he survived. There was an article in People Magazine about Randy Pausch who was the Carnegie Professor, he passed away and left behind young kids and I couldn’t imagine losing my father at two or four or six and so I thought there has got to be something I can do to help families like this.
The Hero Foundation raises money for families who have children or parents fighting cancer. Every cent raised goes right back into the community.
Katie: A lot of people think they could have jobs and they could have insurance but they can’t afford their groceries because everything goes to their medical bills we help people like that um they could have lost their job due to their diagnosis we help people like that. Our first year we raised um $500 and who starts a profit in a recession? This girl.
Mitch (Laughing)
The beginning may have been humble but now The Hero Foundation is helping 32 families with expenses. They have plans of helping another 20 families around the holidays.
Katie: We give families the complete Thanksgiving dinner and then around Christmas we work with families that is such a special time for children we want to give those families that Christmas to their kids. We try to help every single person that comes to us we really do.
Mitch: Why the name The Hero Foundation?
Katie: Because uh my dad is my hero.
Mitch: I kind of got the feeling it might be the other way around
Katie: Laughing
Helping families impacted by cancer, Katie Larsen and The Hero Foundation is honoring her father’s survival right here in the heart of Detroit.
