Vs. Cancer was built by athletes for athletes, giving them the platform to raise money for childhood cancer. Founder Chase Jones experienced the childhood cancer world first-hand; in 2006, as an eighteen-year-old college freshman, he was diagnosed with a Stage IV brain tumor. As a baseball player at the University of North Carolina, his team rallied around him during treatment and began raising funds to support their local hospital. As a byproduct of community help and national research, Chase attests his status of ten years cancer-free to a combination of the two.
Our Mission
Vs. Cancer empowers any sports team, any athlete and any community to help kids with cancer. As a signature fundraising campaign of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, proceeds help fund child life programs in local hospitals and lifesaving pediatric brain tumor research.
Our History
Our Team
Dave Mays
Sr. Campaign Manager, Vs. Cancer
Dave Mays, a native of Northwest Indiana, joined the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation team in October 2018 as a Vs. Cancer campaign manager.
Dave’s passion for sports and helping children and families is what brought him to Vs. Cancer. Prior to joining the Vs. Cancer team, Dave served the Crossroads YMCA in Northwest Indiana for over 16 years. During his time with the YMCA, he served in several roles including program director, senior program director, associate executive director, and most recently executive director. His experience with the YMCA helped develop his passion for working with youth, health & wellness, sports, and development in nonprofit organizations. Dave has also served as the assistant director of annual giving at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. Dave received his B.S. degree from Calumet College of St. Joseph.
In his free time, Dave enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering as a youth sports coach, and serving on local nonprofit and service club boards. Currently, he is serving as president of the Rotary Club of Hammond, Indiana. His favorite hobby is to play golf, and he is an avid Chicago Cubs and Notre Dame fan.
Dave lives in Crown Point, Indiana with his wife, Kendra, and son, Mason.
John D'Ambrosio
Campaign Coordinator, Vs. Cancer
John D’Ambrosio manages the Northeast region’s Ride for Kids and Starry Night events in Pennsylvania and New England. He joined the PBTF’s team in Jan. 2019, but has been committed to the cause for more than 10 years.
As a pediatric brain tumor survivor, John first started participating in PBTF events as a Star, then began volunteering on event task forces in the Philadelphia area. While volunteering, he earned a BA in Criminal Justice from Temple University and worked as an IT Help Desk Support Analyst at GSK. His personal understanding of the PBTF’s events and mission impact make him an excellent addition to the Northeast region’s growing team.
FAQ
- What is Vs. Cancer?
Vs. Cancer is a nonprofit fundraising campaign under the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. We are dedicated to saving kids’ lives by empowering athletes and communities to fund lifesaving childhood cancer efforts. - How can I be sure the Vs. Cancer is a legitimate charity?
Vs. Cancer, founded in December 2012, is a signature national fundraising campaign of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to children fighting the deadliest childhood cancer. Our Tax Identification Number is 58-1966822. - What makes Vs. Cancer different?
One of the greatest defining aspects of Vs. Cancer is that we were founded by a childhood cancer survivor; therefore, we are all the more committed to this cause. This means that we are constantly focused on helping children battling cancer every day. We know what it means to be those children, and we do not take that for granted. - Where does the money go?
Proceeds help fund child life programs in local hospitals and lifesaving pediatric brain tumor research. We fund child life programs in each team’s community, where doctors, nurses, and patients need it the most; all the while, we are producing significant contributions in the research world. - What else does Vs. Cancer need?
Vs. Cancer could always use contributions- whether it is office supplies, volunteer hours, or services, anything that drives our expenses down means more of every dollar contributed back to the real cause: helping children with cancer. If you have any suggestions or connections that you think would be valuable, please contact us! - What do I do with checks?
Thanks for the donation! All checks should be made out to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and mailed to the following address: Vs. Cancer, 6065 Roswell Road NE, Suite 505, Atlanta, GA 30328. In the memo line, write ‘Vs. Cancer’ and the name of your team or favorite player so that we can allocate the funds in the right place. - What is Vs. Cancer’s address?
All mail for Vs. Cancer should be addressed to Vs. Cancer, 6065 Roswell Road NE, Suite 505, Atlanta, GA 30328