Gift Helps Memorialize Young Cancer Victim
The last wish of a courageous young brain cancer victim will go forward with help from Total Quality Logistics’ Moves That Matter program. TQL made a $1,000 gift to the Hannah Duffy Foundation to assist deserving high school seniors with scholarship money for college.
“Hannah was very vocal about what she wanted,” said Sue Funck, Hannah’s mother and the director of the foundation bearing her daughter’s name. “She did not want to be forgotten and she wanted us to pay it forward, to continue to fight for a cure.”
To that end, the Hannah Duffy Foundation – in conjunction with long-time TQL partner Where Angels Play Foundation – also will build a fully handicap-accessible playground in Hannah’s honor next month in her hometown of Tinton Falls, N.J.
TQL will arrange the movement of the playground gear to the build site. Sales Team Leader Jake S. from Cincinnati and his daughter – both of whom assisted on the final Sandy Hook memorial playground build – will be on hand to make the check presentation and help with construction.
Duffy was 13 when she was diagnosed with brain cancer. She was 14 at the time of her death, almost a year to the day after learning she had cancer. The foundation in her honor officially launched in early 2014, about six months after Hannah died.
Just 17 days after brain surgery – and receiving chemotherapy treatments by needle rather than a port so she could continue playing soccer – Hannah broke a 0-0 tie with a goal in double overtime to beat a team that had thumped hers 6-1 while she was out with her illness.
“That was like a Disney movie; you couldn’t script it any better,” Funck said. “Hannah was very athletic and started playing soccer when she was five. But she had a really soft heart for kids with special needs and kids who didn’t have her gifts.”
“Hannah talked about never giving up, which is inspiring to us,” said Kerry Byrne, TQL president. “Never giving up and always working hard is part of who we are, too, so TQL is proud to honor Hannah’s memory and her competitive spirit with this gift.”
Moves That Matter benefits non-profit organizations that use the truckload transportation industry to move items that will help those in need. TQL employees, customers or carriers can nominate non-profit organizations that could use financial assistance.