VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A young girl battling leukemia and her family took to the ocean Saturday on a fishing boat, thanks to the Chartway Promise Foundation and Hooked on Hope VB.
4-year-old Charlotte was diagnosed in April. “She’s been such a trooper,” her mom, Tamara Fischer, told 13News Now.
Chartway Promise Foundation leaders revealed the surprise Saturday following the Chartway Virginia Beach 5K. The sold-out race raised funds for the foundation. “Our promise is to bring joy, hope and smiles to medically fragile children,” explained foundation president Christine Wilson. She added the organization looks to provide joy during families’ toughest times.
“You just go living your life, having a normal day, and all of the sudden you learn your child has cancer, and it affects the whole family,” Wilson said.
The Fischer family’s boat outing was provided through a partnership with Hooked on Hope VB. “We provide fishing and fun for families going through pediatric cancer,” explained co-founder Mike Robey. “The Fischer family is going to go out on that boat and catch some memories today.”
Charlotte showed up for the event Saturday after going through treatment Friday. “She’s tired today,” said Fischer. “The misconception people have when you have a cancer patient is they’re tired all the time, but she’s usually up and running like the next day.”
Amidst the diagnosis, the family says they’re excited for some fun together. “[Organizations are] opening up opportunities for us to find joy during this tough time we’re going through,” said Charlotte’s dad, Dan Fischer. Tamara added, “We’ve been kind of limited in where we can go and what we can do, so this is a great opportunity for us to spend time together.”
Charlotte’s two sisters, Annabelle and Penny, were equally excited. When asked what they were going to catch, Penny said, “A shark!” Annabelle wasn’t so sure, telling her sister, “You’re thinking too big.”
The Chartway Virginia Beach 10-miler will take place Sunday, and the foundation will grant another wish to a family battling childhood cancer.
This year, the Chartway Promise Foundation, which is the charitable arm of Chartway Credit Union, has awarded $1 million to its charity partners. It will observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September with several events and fundraisers. For more information or to donate, visit their website.