“Cancer sucks,” says the 85-year-old man who fiercely battled melanoma, lymphoma, vocal cord cancer, and lymph node cancer over the past 5 years. Not once, not twice, but four times! And the road to victory was as painful as it gets, with almost 65 radiation sessions and six months of chemotherapy. So, when we talk about ESPN’s college hoops analyst, Dick Vitale, there lies a sense of pride and respect for our ol’ guy. After all, he is nothing short of a warrior. As someone who has seen the disease up close and personal, Vitale knows what it’s like, and he is ensuring continued efforts to help those in need.

This disease has gulped down nearly 611,720 lives across the States in 2024 alone. But the worst of all is pediatric cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, pediatric cancer is the second leading cause of death for children, with over 1,040 lives lost in 2023 alone. Though the survival rate has drastically improved over the years, research and subsequent treatment are the only way to save lives. However, the institute has a limited government budget, most of which goes into the pediatric department.

Vitale has come a long way in his bid to raise funds for fellow Americans, especially children. The aspirational analyst understood the issue at the grassroots level and used all the aid to make life better for our young generation. Well, to put it in perspective, The V Foundation aimed at raising $100 million, and this came to fruition on the 20th anniversary of Dick Vitale Gala on May 02 at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota. The night saw $12.5 million being raised as they exceeded the mark with a whopping $105.4 million.

Sharing the news with his countrymen, an excited Vitale took to X, talking about the amount raised by the foundation. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the donors and wrote, “It was an incredible night! Thanks to All that helped us raise- $12.5 MILLION thus giving us a total of $105.4 MILLION dollars since starting for Pediatric Cancer Research @The VFoundation.”

Dick Vitale has been hosting the Gala since 2005 for his foundation. The sole aim? To raise just enough funds to save the kids from pediatric cancer. In his own words, “It’s probably as good as anything I’ve ever done in my life. I really believe in it more now than ever after three years of battling what I’ve had to battle.”

Reminiscing about his tryst with the disease, he said in an interview, “I am trying to raise money for kids battling cancer, Pat. Especially after what I went through. I want you to know this is the first live interview I’ve done in three years. Doctors have put me on unbelievable voice rest. I’ve had five major vocal-cord surgeries, and I am just honored and thrilled to be able to talk because about a year ago, I went eight weeks not able to talk. Writing everything down.”

Even previously, Vitale has reflected on how his vision to help children, as he said, “I’m 85 years old, man. I got the energy of a 20-year-old, but I’m 85. And I’ll tell you this, Pat, no child should ever go through what I did in terms of the scans, the blood work, constant trips to the doctor’s office, doing chemo for six months, radiation for 65 treatments. No child should do that.” And this thought made him do the unthinkable.

This amount comes as a ray of hope for all the suffering children and their parents, who need to run from pillar to post in order to cover the expenses. And The V Foundation continues to inspire.

A quick glance at the Gala

The 20th Annual Dick Vitale Gala saw some big names from the American industry. Several celebrities from the sporting world came forward to support the analyst’s cause and to raise awareness surrounding pediatric cancer. And one name stood out from the rest- Michael Strahan. He was among the honorees and the award winners for this year.

Strahan’s daughter, Isabella, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in October 2023, which is a type of malignant brain tumor that develops in the cerebellum or the back of the brain, where movement and coordination are controlled. However, she is now cancer-free and is slowly back on her way to normal day-to-day life. Hence, for the 53-year-old to be honored in such a gala was hard to express, given that this is the greatest accomplishment he will ever have in life.

Remembering the harrowing days until his daughter returned, he said, “It’s not tough at all, compared to the fight that these kids, and the parents who are going through, or adults who are going through cancer have in front of them. That’s tough. I saw my hero, my daughter, really rise up and be more than I ever knew she was at 18, turning 19—she even had surgery on her 19th birthday. But seeing her, her sister, her friends, and our relationship—it was the joy in an otherwise miserable situation.”

As rightly pointed out by the former football player, only the parents know the struggles of waking up and watching their child battle the disease on the war front every day. It is never easy. Despite the grim disease still lurking in broad daylight, we have people like Strahan and Vitale who try to fight it.