The roots of Sun Devil Family Charities (“SDFC”) started with the SAVEJOE Foundation, which was created former Arizona State University offensive guard Joe Cajic in 1998. Cajic was in the need of a life saving bone marrow transplant to cure Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, The SAVEJOE Foundation was established for the purpose of addressing three major problems affecting bone marrow donation: education,
funding and recruitment. This foundation worked closely with United Blood Services, National Marrow Donor Program, City of Hope/Samaritan Bone Marrow Transplantation Program and the Leukemia Society of America. Through the cooperative efforts of these organizations, and with the assistance of the local business community, the SAVEJOE Foundation was active to pursue solutions to the problems facing bone marrow donation and assist the thousands of “Joes” requiring bone marrow transplants. Amazingly, through blood drives and subsidizing the costs of increasing the bone marrow registry, a lifesaving bone marrow match for Joe was found and Joe successfully underwent a bone marrow transplant. The original SAVEJOE members reunited again to provide assistance to Ebony Kelly. Ebony is a graduate of ASU was diagnosed with Polymyositis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the muscle, in 2003. Over the years, this disease has affected her lungs causing a progressive deterioration in her overall health. Her condition has steadily worsened over the past six months and physicians have determined that her only remaining medical option is double lung transplantation. Even with medical insurance, there are numerous uncovered expenses that present a challenge that Ebony’s family cannot meet alone. SAVEJOE assisted Ebony with the same helpful compassion they used with Cajic and realized that providing assistance to those in medical hardship had become a regular experience in their lives. At the same time Joe Cajic had recovered from his bone marrow transplant and SAVEJOE reunited to create an all volunteer foundation that will provide medical hardship assistance to those that have a connection to Arizona State University. Sun Devil Family Charities (SDFC) was born. Families and individuals that are fighting chronic and traumatic medical procedures can be hit hard financially. Imagine not working for months at a time so you can take care of what of your health, or the health of one of your family members. Imagine the mounting toll this would take on your families’ expenses, now add in the additional medical charges. Even with great insurance, these costs can become devastating. The purpose of SDFC is to support alumni, students or faculty of Arizona State University, and their related families, that may need financial assistance resulting from a medical necessity. SDFC, will conduct two financial hardship assistance program to provide temporary assistance for qualified individuals, the “SDFC Cares” and “Patient Specific” Program. In addition to SDFC financial support programs, SDFC will work closely with community leaders and the public in understanding the facts of medical hardship, as well as, develop further programs to temporarily assist those that need a helping hand. In order to accomplish these lofty goals we must pursue fund raising campaigns in the community. We are asking for your support. We sincerely believe that the families we assist are worthy of your donations.