I may never run again but I can Smile Everyday

About Patrick

The Patrick Wiese Foundation was created as a result of Pat's diagnosis of Osteosarcoma.
The mission of the foundation can be broken up into two main areas:
The first is to help cancer survivors and patients in Central New York overcome financial burdens through tuition scholarships, defraying educational costs and more. The second is participation in local programs that support cancer patients such as Beads of Courage.
Patrick's Story
Even though he was standout high school athlete in three sports, it was no surprise to those closest when Patrick Wiese made the commitment to his first love: Baseball. He accepted an offer from Division I Le Moyne College in his hometown of Syracuse, NY and began his life as any incoming freshman. Wiese played each and every game with gusto, skill and joy. He was selected to play in the Valley Baseball League and the New England College Baseball League during the summers, allowing him to never be away from the game he loved. After his junior season, Wiese was voted captain for the Dolphins. His dreams of having a chance at a professional life on the baseball field were still alive.

Life was exactly what you would expect the life of a 21 year old rising college senior to be. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t

Being an athlete, Wiese was used to pain and always played through it. However, while playing for the Vermont Mountaineers in the NECBL, it became unbearable. After sleepless nights with excruciating knee pain, he could no longer ignore it. He told his father, an orthopedic surgeon, and an MRI was ordered. The results came out of right field - a tumor lodged in his right leg. Wiese was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. The tumor was surgically removed in October of 2013 along with his knee, part of his femur and tibia, several tendons, ligaments, muscles and aspirations of a professional baseball career. However, Wiese didn’t allow cancer to take anything else from him. Wiese attacked physical therapy and chemotherapy as he would a pitcher with a great fastball. “Find an excuse to win,” he says. “...It cannot cripple love and it cannot kill friendships. It cannot shatter hope. It can only strengthen those things.” “I can say that I played my last game like it was my last game. For everyone out there, take me as an example that anything can happen at any moment, so live each day and perform each day’s activities like it is your last. Know that, at any time, it can be taken away from you with a blink of an eye. And if that happens, I hope you don’t have any regrets. "Do what you love every single day” It is this attitude along with Wiese’s close knit family that has him thinking beyond himself and towards those he now shares a familiar path with. The mission of the foundation can be broken down into two main areas. The first is to help cancer survivors and patients in Central New York overcome financial burdens through tuition scholarships, defraying educational costs and more. The second is participation in local programs that support cancer patients such as Beads of Courage.

#FIGHT

Live with no regrets.

A hero gets scared but still moves on

Our Mission

Healthy Minds and Healthy Souls

Service Features

Mind

Cancer knocks us down mentally and physically. Our goal is to help ease the mind of cancer survivors and patients in Central New York through tuition scholarships, defraying educational costs and more. We also participate in local programs that support cancer patients such as Beads of Courage.

Service Features

Soul

Part of our job is to let survivors and cancer patients know that they are not alone and WE are there to help.
This allows for a place where they can safely look into their soul to discover their own self-worth.

The Financial Impact of Cancer:

Cancer is costly. It can take a toll on your health, your emotions, your time, your relationships – and your wallet. There will be unexpected charges, and even the best health insurance won’t cover all your costs.

$4 billion in out-of-pocket costs

According to the American Cancer Society, U.S. cancer patients paid nearly $4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2014. Cancer patients are 2.65 times more likely to declare bankruptcy than other people. Younger people diagnosed with cancer experience higher bankruptcy rates than those 65 years or older who are experiencing cancer.
Source: Health Affairs

High monthly payments despite insurance

According to Forbes.com, more than one-third of cancer patients who carry insurance spend more out-of-pocket for their treatments than they anticipated having to pay. The median monthly out-of-pocket expenditure is $703 even with insurance. That surprising financial burden causes distress that sometimes makes them unwilling to pay for the care that could save their lives.

Cancer is so limited. It cannot cripple love and it cannot kill friendships. It cannot shatter hope. It can only strengthen those things.

Grants

How to apply for a grant
All applicants are encouraged to review the Foundation’s guidelines and confirm that there is a reasonable match between the grant request and the Foundation’s mission and funding priorities. The Foundation welcomes applications from 501(c)(3), as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.


Please Review the following Grant Guidelines and Applications:


Grant Policy and Guidelines


Application for Organizations


Application for Individuals


I ask you to attack each day like it was your last so when you look back at it later in life you can smile. In fifty years, I will be smiling back on my last game because I played it like my last.

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Patrick Wiese Foundation in the news

What do you love to do? Go out and do something you truly love to do. Not tomorrow, not next week, do it TODAY.

GET INVOLVED

Here are our current events happening, but if you have
your own idea drop us an email

patrickwiesefoundation @ gmail.com

(315) 430 - 9429

Syracuse, NY

Contact Us

We'd really love to hear from you so please drop us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Patrick Wiese Foundation
6819 Holliston Circle
Fayetteville NY 13066
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