Grateful to Lance Armstrong, Testicular Cancer Survivor/Father Gives Back With His ‘Have a Ball Golf Tournament’

    SAN JOSE, Calif., July 16 /EMWNews/ -- To all appearances, Hammer is

just a regular guy, a 39-year-old who works in marketing for a large Bay

Area building materials outfit. But that's just his day job. Off hours, he

is knocking himself out organizing the "4th Annual Have a Ball Golf

Tournament presented by Ariba." The event has become one of the Bay Area's

biggest fundraisers, a cause that helps battle cancer on several fronts.



    And he does it, Hammer says, because, "I wanted to find a way to give

back to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. It's my way of thanking the

foundation for the birth of my son."



    His story began when he was 29 and -- like Armstrong -- diagnosed with

testicular cancer. The extensive chemotherapy he underwent made his hair

fall out, but it didn't dampen his spirit. In 1999, inspired by Lance

Armstrong's battle with testicular cancer, he rode in Armstrong's "Ride for

the Roses" event in Austin, Texas. That's also where he met San Francisco

rock DJ Steven Seaweed (of 107.7 The Bone), who was also an avid cyclist.

They became friends. A few years later, they would join forces to raise

money for cancer awareness, people with cancer and cancer research.



    Two years later, in 2001 -- also at an Armstrong "Ride for the Roses"

-- Hammer was introduced to Dr. Craig Nichols, the oncologist who in 1996

successfully treated the Tour de France champion for testicular cancer.

Hammer's cancer had returned. At the time he met Dr. Nichols, he had just

completed 26 rounds of chemotherapy and was scheduled to undergo surgery at

Stanford University Medical Center the following week. Nichols listened to

Hammer's account of his condition and treatment and, back in his office in

Portland, Ore. only days later, examined Hammer's medical scans, which led

him to advise against the surgery. Not only would the surgery leave the

devoted family man unable to father another child, because it would have

involved Hammer's spinal cord, there was a risk that Hammer would never

walk again. Nichols believed the chemo had done its job. Hammer decided

against the surgery.



    In 2003, Hammer and his wife Kim became the proud and grateful parents

of Joshua -- and their daughter Shayna, now 8, got a baby brother.



    In 2005, Hammer and Seaweed, a prostate cancer survivor, inspired by

what Armstrong has called "the obligation of the cured," established the

Have a Ball Foundation and its annual golf tournament to benefit the Lance

Armstrong Foundation. Every July since, the tournament has grown -- with

more players, more sponsors and more money raised. The 2005 tournament, in

which 104 golfers and 82 corporations participated, raised $50,000. The

following year, the tournament raised $78,000. Last year's event raised

$131,000. This year, more than 200 corporations and 300 golfers are

boosting the cause and the tournament will raise more than $185,000.



    This year's tournament proceeds will be shared by 15 non-profit

organizations, including the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Major sponsors

include Amgen, Genentech, Fed Ex, AMD, Blue Coat Systems, Chordiant, Miller

Brewing Company, Oakley, Harrah's Tahoe, Royal Lahaina Resort Maui,

Carnival Cruises, ABD Insurance, SanDisk, Southwest Airlines, United

Airlines, Armadillo Willy's, Callaway Golf and Embassy Suites.