The Don Litzelman Foundation
A 501(c)(3) Organization
★ Support The Fight Against Cancer ★
★ Our Story ★
About the Don Litzelman Foundation
The DLF began in the fall of 2012 to honor and remember Don, who was taken from us by brain cancer at the age of 52. Most of us involved in the DLF met in the fall of 1978 at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Some of our best memories involved us sitting on the hill together overlooking the lacrosse field, watching Don set most of the school’s scoring records. He was the first two-time All-American at Geneseo and in 1990 was inducted into the Geneseo Athletic Hall of Fame.
But as often happens, after graduation comes careers and families and we lost touch. Don brought us back together years later. In 2007 he reached out to reconnect. He hadn’t yet been diagnosed with brain cancer, but he knew something was wrong. We stayed in close touch until the spring of 2012, when Don was quickly declining. Four of us went to spend the day with him on May 5th. It was both a heartbreaking and uplifting day. A lot of tears and a lot of I love you’s. We drove away from his house determined to turn this horrible negative into a positive.
The Don Litzelman Foundation was created in his memory and honor to help the families of people diagnosed with cancer to find valuable comfort through financial, educational and emotional support so that they can focus on caring for their loved one. The Foundation was created to help families that find themselves in the same situation as Don’s family.
★ Our Purpose ★
The Mission of The Don Litzelman Foundation
The Don Litzelman Foundation is a critical resource and sense of relief and calm to families and friends that have been hit with the awful news their loved one has been diagnosed with cancer. The DLF exists to help people find strength and comfort so they can best support their loved one through cancer and achieve the best possible outcome.
Our 1st Passion
The DLF’s first passion is to help cancer patients. Over the years we’ve donated to the V Foundation, as well as the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where Don received treatment. Our latest initiative is to help cancer patients by providing information about where they can get even more help than we can provide. Information about organizations that can provide financial assistance for things like co-pays, medication, out of pocket expenses, travel, housing and more. Organizations that can also provide a community with invaluable information and support.
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Our 2nd Passion
Our second passion is to honor Don by keeping his legacy alive in the sport that he loved. We present the Don Litzelman Award annually to the Attackman of the Year at both Geneseo State and West Genesee High School in Syracuse, NY.
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Cancer Organizations that can help
You don’t have to face the diagnosis of cancer alone. This is a list of some organizations that can help with expenses, travel, lodging and more. Please check them out and before applying be sure to check out each organization’s requirements to apply. They may require information like patient ID#, social security #, specific clinical diagnosis, an invoice or more. We hope that you find one or more that can help you on your journey!
Please provide us feedback on your experience here. We’d love to hear successes that we can share and we need to know what we can improve. Please either click on the Contact Us button at the bottom of this page or email us at…. [email protected]. Thank you!!
American Cancer Society
Additional Info
Road To Recovery program available in certain communities
Who is eligible? Anyone receiving cancer-related treatments and caregivers may be allowed also
Lodging:
Hope Lodge available in over 30 communities in the US and Puerto Rico. Check ACS site for more information.
Good Days
Additional Info
Financial Help:
Who is Eligible? Patients with many different cancers.
How much can be awarded? The amount varies based on availability of the specific disease fund. Funds are for co-pays, travel, premiums and diagnostic testing.
HealthWell Foundation
Additional Info
Financial Help:
Who is Eligible? Patients with many different cancers.
How much can be awarded? The amount varies based on availability of the specific disease fund. Funds are for co-pays, premiums, deductibles, and out of pocket expenses
SUSAN G. KOMEN
Additional Info
Find information about financial assistance programs, including those for prescription drugs and other medical costs, transportation, lodging, and child and elder care.
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★ On The Field ★
The Don Litzelman Award
While we honor Don because of his love of lacrosse and not for his on-field accomplishments, those accomplishments were noteworthy. Don was a star at one of the most storied high school programs in the country, West Genesee in Syracuse, NY. He set the single season record for goals his senior year of 1978 with 61, still one of the top ten seasons in school history.
Don was a four-year starter, three-time captain and the first two-time All-American at Geneseo. When he graduated, he held the records for goals in a game, season and career along with points in a season and career. He was inducted into the Geneseo Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.