Brentwood father, Mike Karl, biked across the country to raise money for Ewing Sarcoma disease in memory of his late son. Sean Karl was diagnosed with rare pediatric cancer in 2012, and passed away in November of 2014 at 20 years of age.
Brentwood residents Mike and Laurie Karl wanted to do something unique this year in memory of their son, and to raise awareness and fundraise for a cure– especially with July being Ewing Sarcoma Cancer Research Awareness Month.
On June 1st, Mike set out on a 3,100-mile bike ride from Oceanside, California to Yorktown, Virginia. Averaging 132 miles a day at 18 mph, Mike completed the journey in 24 days and raised a total of $55,000 for The Sean Karl Foundation (SKF).
Each day of the Ride Across America journey, Mike and Laurie posted updates to the foundation’s Facebook page for friends and family to follow along. According to Mike, Facebook has been extremely useful with both fundraising and communicating with the foundation’s supporters, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[Facebook] has proved invaluable in spreading our message and for fundraising during July for Ewing Sarcoma Cancer Research Awareness Month,” said Mike Karl, founder of the Sean Karl Foundation. “With their updated tools, it’s easier than ever for our friends, family, and supporters to spread the word and invite others to get involved.”
Since June 1, they have raised $18,000 in donations through Facebook with the help of the platform’s fundraising tool.
Sean’s parents remain committed to sharing his legacy and helping raise awareness for the disease. They launched The Sean Karl Foundation in the Fall of 2016 to raise awareness and provide funding for Ewing Sarcoma medical research. The foundation’s goal is to raise $1M to go towards finding a cure.
This September, The Sean Karl Foundation will be hosting their 3rd Annual Swing For Sean Golf Tournament at the Governor’s Club and in November they will host the 4th Annual Sing For Sean Songwriters Night at Richland Country Club. For more information on how to get involved or to donate, visit their Facebook page or website.
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