OCEANSIDE, Calif. — An Oceanside family is doing their best to 'walk all over' cancer. In this Zevely Zone, I met the million-dollar Garness family. This story is an example of how sometimes cancer picks on the wrong family. When Oceanside father Casey Garness was a child, his nose kept bleeding. At the age of five, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. "Lots of chemo, lots of spinal taps, blood transfusions," said Casey who is now 46-years-old.
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Casey got rid of the cancer at age 11, but this story is about how cancer never got rid of Casey. He was told because of the chemotherapy, he would most likely would not be able to have children.
"Don't always believe doctors, ha, ha, ha," laughed Casey.
He married Sondra and now with their two daughters Kirby (10) and Carsyn (8), cancer may have met its match. Every year, the American Cancer Society hosts a Relay for Life. Event details vary nationwide but in Carlsbad this year on August 3 at the Army & Navy Academy, families will pitch tents, camp out, and walk for 21 hours straight.
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The Garness family is far too humble to tell you how good they are at it, but not me. "I can go get the trophy," I told them in their living room. Actually not one trophy, but trophies. Lots of them. I found a trophy for every family member. Four trophies in all because when it comes to raising money to fight childhood cancer, no family does it better.
"Since its inception, we have been the number one fundraising team in the country," said Casey. "This last year I raised 98,000 and our team raised just over 130,000."
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At this point, I need to tell the readers, Casey and Sondra have full-time jobs. Casey works for Titleist Golf. Sondra is a high school teacher.
"It's a ton of work," said Casey when I asked him about how much time he volunteers.
Every day of the year, the Garness family is making dog toys, key chains and colorful pots; anything to raise donations for the Relay for Life.
"It feels really good the help," said Kirby. Sondra added, "They do necklaces where you put a bead for every lap that you walk and the kids come home and their necklaces will be this long."
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"It makes me incredibly proud that two kids this young can understand what they are doing and what they are doing it for," said Casey.
Since 2007, Casey's family and team have raised more than $1 million.
"I feel like you know somebody was doing this kind of thing when I needed the help so it is the least I can do to give back to help the people fighting cancer now," said Casey.
Watch out cancer, that five-year-old boy grew up and his family is now walking laps around you. The 2024 Relay for Life North County will take place on Saturday, August 3rd, on the campus of Carlsbad's Army and Navy Academy. If you'd like to make a donation, click here.
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