The Story Begins
At first glance Branden Lombardi was your normal, healthy, seventeen year-old senior in High School. Branden was busy with the normal activities of someone his age while attending Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Arizona. However, that all changed in December of 1998 when Branden, seeking the medical attention of an orthopedic surgeon for a knee injury he sustained due to sports, learned that he had bigger problems on his hands than torn cartilage. Branden learned that he had Osteogenic Sarcoma or Bone Cancer, just below his knee joint in the left tibia. Needless to say this was shocking news to not only Branden but also his family and friends.
In late December, Branden embarked on his Cancer journey, starting his chemotherapy treatments at the East Valley Regional Cancer Center in Chandler, Arizona. After three months of treatment, he was ready to undergo surgery to remove the tumor. The surgery was long and tedious, but very successful as the tumor was completely removed, and Branden’s knee joint was rebuilt with a total knee replacement. Soon after he began his recovery from the surgery, Branden began another three-month cycle of chemotherapy. While undergoing these last treatments, Branden still made it to his Senior Prom and more importantly was able to walk across the stage to receive his High School diploma. Branden enjoyed the summer of 1999, thinking he was cancer free, and was preparing to take the upcoming year off from school to recover his full strength and health.
An Idea Sprouts
Branden’s freedom from Cancer was short-lived as it was discovered in November of 1999 that Branden’s cancer had spread to his lungs. Branden underwent surgery to remove the cancerous nodules from his lungs, and once again began chemotherapy at the East Valley Regional Cancer Center. This time however, Branden decided that he was going to bring his Nintendo to keep him entertained during the eight-hour treatments to which he was now being subjected. Branden would sit and play video games while the chemotherapy dripped in, and it allowed him to escape the reality if just for a while that he was eighteen years old and battling for his life.
While sitting there playing, Branden realized that the other patients around him had little to do, but would delight in watching him play the video games. Although he knew these patients weren’t interested in playing themselves, seeing as how many of them were three and four times his age, Branden knew that there had to be something he could do to help out his fellow Cancer Patients. An avid golfer since the age of ten, Branden had begun working at Club West Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona when he was fifteen years old. The management at the golf course had been very supportive of him during his treatment over the past year, allowing him to still play golf whenever he felt healthy enough, and allowing him to work a schedule that didn’t conflict with his treatment and was flexible enough to allow him to stay home on days he didn’t feel his best. Branden approached the management with an idea; he wanted to host a charity golf tournament to raise money for patient amenities at the East Valley Regional Cancer Center. He wanted to supply his fellow patients with items that would allow them to escape the reality of cancer treatment for the time they were there, and just make the entire cancer experience a little bit better if he could.
The management said they would indeed help Branden out, and donated the course outright for him to use for his event. Branden, with his newfound goal of raising money to buy items such as televisions, computers, cd players, cd’s, movies, tape players, books on tape, pillows, blankets, board games, and other items to help you pass the time began organizing the event all on his own, all the while still undergoing his own chemotherapy treatments. On June 25th, 2000, through tremendous local support Chip in to Fight Cancer 2000 raised an amazing $20,000.00.
Branden used this money just as he intended and in August of 2000, before finally leaving for the University of Arizona, went on a shopping spree of which most people would be jealous. The East Valley Regional Cancer Center was transformed into a place not only excellent for its medical treatment of patients with cancer, but a place that also made patients feel more comfortable while undergoing their treatments. Televisions with satellite hookups now allow patients to watch anything they want. The library of movies, CD’s, and books on tape is outstanding, and most importantly, the patients are thankful of the efforts from one of their own, Branden Lombardi.
A Foundation is Born
Branden headed to the University of Arizona with a successful charity golf tournament and cancer behind him, or so he thought. While doing the things most freshman in college doing including rushing a fraternity, Branden still had to return to Phoenix for monthly tests to make sure his cancer had not returned again either to his lungs or leg. Unfortunately again, the cancer returned to Branden’s lungs, and under the advisement of his doctors, Branden left school early in December of 2000 to undergo surgery first on his left lung, followed a few weeks later by surgery on his right lung.
These surgeries made it impossible for Branden to return to the University of Arizona, and he was resigned to the fact that he would spend the next eight months at home recovering. However, people kept asking him if he was going to have another golf tournament this year, seeing how successful the first one was. As Branden thought, he realized that there was more that he wanted to and could do to help cancer patients in their fight. With this idea in mind, Branden decided that he wanted to start his own non-profit Foundation, focusing on improving the quality of life for cancer patients through similar projects as he had undertaken at the East Valley Regional Cancer Center.
The Branden Lombardi Foundation was born, and while undergoing four surgeries on his lungs in six months, Branden and his newly formed Board of Directors decided that the Foundation would hold its first independent fundraiser, Chip In To Fight Cancer 2001 on June 15th, 2001. The tournament again was a great success, as it raised $30,000.00 for the Foundation. Branden was once again preparing to head to the University of Arizona in the fall of 2001, thinking he had finally seen the last of his cancer. But, two weeks after the golf tournament, doctors discovered again cancerous nodules in his lungs. Following surgery to remove the newest cancer, it was decided that Branden would undergo more chemotherapy followed by a Stem Cell Transplant, all to take place at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.
BLF Expands its Horizons
Needless to say, the actions of the Foundation were put on hold while Branden endured the toughest treatment he had faced yet. On October 25th, 2001, Branden successfully underwent his Stem Cell Transplant, and was able to leave the hospital the day before Thanksgiving. Branden was able to spend the holidays with his friends and family in Phoenix, Arizona, and in January experienced the greatest moment of his life to date. Nominated by his younger brother, other family and friends, Branden was chosen to participate in the 2002 Winter Olympic Torch Relay. On January 13th 2001, in front of thousands of cheering friends, family, and well wishers, Branden carried the Olympic Torch through Phoenix, Arizona.
While carrying the torch, Branden met World Series Co-MVP and fellow torch bearer Curt Schilling of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The two quickly struck up a conversation discussing Branden’s work with his own Foundation. Curt, who is known for his work with ALS, wanted to help Branden in any way he can, as he had faced cancer also when his wife Shonda was diagnosed with Skin Cancer. Through this relationship, which started as an off chance meeting and has now evolved into a friendship, Branden and Curt have developed “Rally Caps”, a program designed to provide cancer patients with Major League Baseball Caps for while they undergo treatments. It allows patients to regain that sense of normalcy and self-confidence that cancer takes away so easily.
Improving the Quality of Life for Cancer Patients Today
Finally healthy enough to again take his foundation in the right direction, Branden has been determined to make The Branden Lombardi Foundation an important member of the cancer community. The Foundation has continued to provide patient amenities to several different cancer centers and hospitals in the state of Arizona including:
- University Medical Center at the University of Arizona
- St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
- Children’s Cancer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
- Maricopa Medical Center and Phoenix Cancer Center
- Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
The future is very bright for The Branden Lombardi Foundation, and if the history is any example, there will be no stopping the Foundation from reaching its goals.