Rally for Rhyan, a local pediatric cancer research fund, raised $65,000 on Feb. 13 during their sixth annual event with the MU Men’s Basketball team.
Brad Loos, MU assistant athletic director, and his wife, Jen Loos, founded Rally for Rhyan after their daughter, Rhyan’s, stage IV neuroblastoma diagnosis in 2015. At the time, Brad served as MU’s assistant men’s basketball coach, and in spring 2016, the team began a trend that would go on to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer research: the Rally for Rhyan game.
Last year, the event alone raised $80,000 for the organization through donations and t-shirt sales. The organization has raised over half a million dollars since its founding. Their funding goal this year dropped to $20,000 because of the pandemic. However, before game day, they had exceeded their goal by $5,000.
“I don’t even think there was any scientific reason behind it, but we came up with the number $20,000 [as our goal],” Jen said. “We’ve already reached that goal, and the game hasn’t even happened. That’s just from donations. So right now we’re sitting at $25,000.”
In previous years, spectators passed donation buckets around the stadium during the game but weren’t allowed due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Jen said that their method of accepting donations has become largely virtual, as supporters can now text “R4R” to 83200 to donate.
According to the Rally for Rhyan website, donations go to multiple pediatric cancer research centers, including the American Cancer Society, as well as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where Rhyan received treatment, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“Without private donations such as this, pediatric cancer research would suffer greatly,” the Rally for Rhyan website said. “Currently, the
National Cancer Institute only invests 4% of its research budget towards childhood cancer research. 4% is simply not enough.”
This year, the Rally for Rhyan halftime presentation was different. Brad tested positive for the COVID-19 virus prior to the game, placing himself and his family into quarantine. He called into the game through Zoom during halftime to give his annual speech.
“It was a lot less nerve-wracking,” Brad said. “The Zoom is what it is, and we had to find a way to make it happen, and that was the best way to do it.”
Brad said the MU community is invested in Rhyan’s cause and feels humbled by the way donors showed up this year, despite the pandemic.
“Even though she’s doing well and cancer-free, the love and support, especially this week prior to the Rally for Rhyan game, it’s just so cool to see,” Jen said. “The community has literally just wrapped their arms around us, and they have not let go since.”
Edited by _ Sophie Chappell | schappell@themaneater.com _
