The 39th annual Jernigan Memorial Golf Tournament raised $290,000 for the Piedmont Augusta Foundation.
Held May 5 at Woodside Plantation in Aiken, 68 teams participated in the tournament, named for Harry W. Jernigan Jr., who founded the University Health Care Foundation in 1978 to provide for the special needs of patients, according to a news release from Piedmont.
The proceeds from this year’s tournament, recognized as the oldest golf tournament in the Augusta region aside from the Masters Tournament, were designated to support the colorectal cancer fund at Piedmont Augusta, the release continued.
“Mr. Jernigan served faithfully as the Foundation’s president until his death in 1984,” said Piedmont Augusta Foundation Executive Director Anne Catherine Murray. “We continue to ensure that Mr. Jernigan’s legacy lives on with this tournament. He would be proud that 100% of the proceeds stays in this community.”
About 150 people attended a pre-tournament party at Greystone Preserve on May 4. A live auction raised almost $15,000 for the fund, which will assist in covering the imaging and labs needed prior to surgical treatment as well as any necessary follow up imaging and labs.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, with the fastest-growing age group affected being under 45.
“Financial toxicity is a reality for many facing a cancer diagnosis. The emotional toll this takes is often overlooked: it leads to anxiety, depression and, in many cases, patients choosing to forgo or delay treatment simply because they cannot afford it. Tragically, the financial barrier can turn a treatable illness into a terminal one,” said Colorectal cancer navigator Brooke Negrete, emphasizing the need for the newly established fund.
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