Pickleball tournament to support Genesis in fighting cancer

Cancer strikes at the heart of people everywhere, an unrelenting foe that takes people away from this life far too soon and far too often.

Genesis Health Care System Cancer Care Center continues to fight the good fight to give people struggling with cancer a chance, and an upcoming pickleball tournament will offer those who enjoy pickleball a chance to support cancer patients and their families while having fun playing the game they enjoy.

The Coshocton Pickleball Club will host a pickleball tournament with a purpose Saturday, May 16, and the purpose hits close to home for anyone who has gone through or supported someone facing the struggles of cancer.

The pickleball tournament Rally Against Cancer will take place at Kids America Indoor Sports Venue in Coshocton and will serve as a fundraiser to support Genesis Health Care System Cancer Care Center.

It is $50 to participate in one event and $10 for each additional event. The divisions include play for 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 and above, with tournaments including men’s doubles beginning at 8:30 a.m., mixed doubles starting at 11:30 a.m. and women’s doubles beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The event will include a silent auction and a 50/50 drawing, and all pickleball players are invited to play to support Genesis.

This tournament became a reality through the heart of one man, Larry Weaver, whose wife Ann passed away recently from cancer. During their trials through Ann’s cancer, the Weavers experienced the love, compassion and professionalism of the staff at Genesis.

Larry Weaver said that genuine compassion and care gave them hope and light during tough times.

“Going through cancer is difficult,” Weaver said. “People are hurting and struggling, and it’s difficult to come to terms with that. We saw some people who got very mad at the staff even though it wasn’t the staff they were angry at — it was the cancer — yet the staff never let that affect them. We could tell they truly love what they do and have a genuine love for people. They did an amazing job in investing in Ann during her time there and caring for both of us.”

It was because of that type of love and compassion Weaver felt the desire to initiate the fundraiser tournament on behalf of Genesis.

The Genesis Cancer Care Center is part of the Genesis HealthCare System in Zanesville and provides comprehensive, patient-focused cancer diagnosis, treatment and support services. It is designed to guide patients from the first diagnosis through treatment and long-term survivorship care.

Located in Zanesville, the center brings together medical oncology, radiation oncology, chemotherapy infusion, laboratory services, pharmacy and patient support programs in a single facility. This “all-in-one” approach helps reduce travel and allows coordinated care among specialists.

The center provides personalized treatment plans created by a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, surgeons, nurses and other specialists. There is on-site chemotherapy and infusion suites with comfortable chairs, natural light and space for support persons during treatment; same-day lab and radiology results to minimize multiple appointments and speed-up care decisions; an in-house pharmacy with oncology-trained pharmacists providing medication counseling and education; cancer nurse navigators who guide patients and families through diagnosis, treatment and follow-up; and access to clinical trials and genetic testing for prevention, diagnosis and advanced treatments.

The center also offers palliative care for symptom and pain management, nutrition counseling and rehabilitation therapies, spiritual support and counseling, support groups and survivorship care plans, and financial counseling and patient education programs.

The center treats a range of cancers including breast, lung, colorectal, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors and others.

The Genesis Cancer Care Center focuses on comprehensive, coordinated cancer treatment combined with supportive services designed to improve comfort, outcomes and quality of life throughout the cancer journey.

The tournament also is currently accepting donations for the silent auction. Anyone who would like to donate may call Weaver at 330-466-1839 or drop donations off at Kids America. The registration deadline for the tournament is May 9.

To sign up for the tournament, visit www.swishtournaments.com, click the Find Tournaments & Leagues icon and search with the words “rally against cancer” to sign up. Players also may sign up by calling Peggy Wilson at 740-502-3878.

Kids America Indoor Sports Venue is located at 1600 Otsego Ave. in Coshocton.