- April 24, 2024
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Ryan Ochipa State Farm agencyWayne Grant
Matt Coleman, dressed as a crab, surprises C.J. Casey, 4. Photo by Wayne Grant
Kayne Finley greets supporters.Photo by Wayne Grant
Battalion Cmdr. David King led fire department members into the pool.Photo by Wayne Grant
Members of the Ormond Beach Police Department and some of their children participated.Photo by Wayne Grant
Pine Trail ElementaryPhoto by Wayne Grant
The Finley family: Keagan, Kayne’s brother; Kirsten, his mother; Kayne; and Curtis, his dad.Photo by Wayne Grant
Amy’s HallmarkPhoto by Wayne Grant
Daytona Beach Speed SwimmingPhoto by Wayne Grant
West Granada Starbucks.Photo by Wayne Grant
Ryan Ochipa, of State Farm, drove Kayne to the event in his truck.Photo by Wayne Grant
“It’s a beautiful, sunny day,” said Kayne Finley as he arrived at the Ormond Beach YMCA pool Feb. 11, where the deck was full of people, waiting to do cannonballs.
Kayne, 17, is fighting an inoperable, cancerous brain tumor, and there were hugs and handshakes as he walked through the crowd gathered for Cannonballs for Kayne, an event to show support and raise funds for his medical expenses as well as research. Kayne has started a foundation and a website, cannonballsforkayne.org, to raise awareness of pediatric cancer.
His mother, Kirsten, told the crowd that the family has a new saying: “Give it to me straight, no sugar coating.” So she gave it to the crowd straight, saying the prognosis for those with Kayne’s type of cancer, DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), is grim. There are no treatments beyond radiation, which Kayne has completed. They are now hoping to be accepted in a clinical trial for a chemo drug in Cincinnati.
“We hope we get acceptance for the drug and it works for a long time,” she said.
She said very little is spent on research in the U.S. while Europe is exploring treatments, and that’s why they want to raise awareness of pediatric cancer.
She said God is the center of their focus.
“We believe in miracles, and God is in the miracle business,” she said.
Others speaking included Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey.
“You’re not going through this alone,” he told Kayne. “There’s a lot of love here today.”
The Cannonballs for Kayne event was originated by Ryan Ochipa, who heard about Kayne because his son swims with him on Daytona Beach Speed Swimming. He joined forces with Schmancy Pops, run by teen entrepreneur Joseph Cofer and his mother, Kellie, to organize and promote the event.
Also at the event and donating a portion of proceeds were two food trucks: Southern State of Mind and Vitamina T — Tacos on Wheels.
