WE ORGANIZE YOUTH SPORTING EVENTS THAT RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT BREAST CANCER PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND RESEARCH IN THE BAY AREA AND BEYOND.


WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED

Co-founders Ryan Hemmeter (left) and David Fineman (right) give Dr. Hope Rugo (center) a check to fund UCSF Breast Cancer Research.

So far BoyzABC has raised over $75,000 for breast cancer research and for financial assistance among low-income breast cancer patients to ensure women with breast cancer receive the care that they need even if they can't afford it.

In addition, BoyzABC helped to partially fund a clinical study that sought to evaluate if using a scalp cooling system is associated with a lower amount of hair loss among women receiving chemotherapy and if this reduction in hair loss improved their quality of life.

Dr. Hope Rugo places a scalp cooling cap on a breast cancer patient.

BoyzABC has contributed funds that have enabled breast cancer research and helped women who could not have otherwise afforded care to receive the care they needed in the San Francisco Bay Area
— Dr. Hope Rugo, UCSF Breast Cancer Research Fund

OUR MISSION

BoyzABC is a nonprofit organization established to raise funds for breast cancer research, awareness, prevention or assistance for breast cancer victims.  This organization provides boys and girls with the opportunity to help their mothers, sisters, aunts, teachers and other special women in their lives in their fight against breast cancer by having the boys participate in activities that they enjoy.  In addition, the boys and girls who lead and participate in BoyzABC develop a strong sense of empowerment and community.


OUR HISTORY

BoyzABC was started early in 2013 by two 7th graders at Mill Valley Middle School (MVMS), David Fineman and Ryan Hemmeter, when David found out that his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  It all began when the boys were on a hike with their moms one day. David expressed how he wanted to help his mom but didn't know how....and by the end of the hike... the idea of BoyzABC was born. David and Ryan rallied a group of their friends to organize a basketball fundraiser called “March Madness Makes a Difference”, a free throw shooting event with all proceeds going to the Hugo Breast Cancer Research Fund at UCSF, which supports women with breast cancer in Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area.  

In 2014, BoyzABC expanded the basketball fundraising event to include students from MVMS as well as the five Mill Valley elementary schools.  A second event was added in 2016, called “Homeruns Help Save Lives” that was organized jointly with the Mount Tamalpais High School Baseball Program. This annual baseball event provided corporations and local businesses the opportunity to contribute to the community’s fight against breast cancer.

This winter, BoyzABC is expanding their fundraising events to include the sport of swimming with our Inaugural Winter Lap-a-Thon, spearheaded by our new Aquatics Event Director, Leah Stevens. We are excited to provide the opportunity for young swimmers to raise money through swimming laps and having fun!