Enduring Strength

by Jeannine Gage

The SkinnerStrong Foundation was born from heartbreak a decade ago, but its work today helps children battling leukemia and the families who love them. 

Founded in September 2016 in memory of 17-year-old Joe Skinner, the Lake Mary-based nonprofit is dedicated to supporting childhood leukemia research and easing the treatment journey for young patients. The organization also gives back to the community that embraced Joe throughout the last few years of his life: Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando, where he was a student.

One of the primary beneficiaries of The SkinnerStrong Foundation has been AdventHealth and its pediatric oncology programming and research. Courtney Staup, AdventHealth’s director of development, says the foundation’s donations are special.

“The money stays local,” says Courtney. “It’s a wonderful thing that we’re doing this in Joe’s memory as we continue to push forward for the benefit of children facing cancer in  our community.”

Joe, who grew up in Lake Mary, was known for his exceptional athletic ability, sharp mind, and personality that drew people in.

 “He treated everybody like they were his best friend,” says his mother, Judy Skinner, who still lives in Lake Mary and serves as president of The SkinnerStrong Foundation.

Joe played multiple sports during middle school at St. Mary Magdalen in Altamonte Springs, but baseball was where he truly stood out. At Bishop Moore, he earned MVP and offensive player honors in baseball. Joe even committed to play at the University of Central Florida, signing a letter of intent.

A Devastating Diagnosis

But in December 2015, during his senior year, everything changed. After feeling unwell during a UCF campus visit, Joe was rushed into testing and diagnosed with hypodiploid acute B-cell leukemia, a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. He was admitted to the hospital the same day.

Despite undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy and steroid treatments, Joe never reached remission. The Skinner family pursued an experimental CAR T-cell therapy trial in Dallas, Texas – a treatment that has since been approved by the FDA – but Joe became too ill to receive it. 

During his illness, the Bishop Moore community rallied around him. Friends and teammates created #SkinnerStrong bracelets and T-shirts and launched a GoFundMe campaign. Joe asked for those funds to be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, because he wanted to bring joy to the lives of young patients who were undergoing the same grueling treatments he was receiving. 

On April 30, 2016, just five months after his diagnosis, Joe passed away. The day before he died, Joe was chosen to receive the Bishop Moore Senior Religion Award. His parents established an endowment at the school to provide scholarships for the two students who receive the award annually. 

A Lasting Legacy

Building on that spirit of supporting the community that supported them, Judy, Scott, and Joe’s sister Molly (who now teaches at Bishop Moore) launched the SkinnerStrong Foundation to support childhood leukemia research and local treatment programs. 

To date, the foundation has donated more than $210,000 to that mission, much of which has been raised through the annual Joe Skinner Memorial SkinnerStrong Golf Tournament. The event, held in December, typically draws about 150 players each year, including many of Joe’s former teammates and friends.

“Seeing the support Joe still has, how loved he was, is comforting,” says Judy. “It’s a blessing.”

One of the most significant donations the foundation made to AdventHealth was to aid in the development of a CAR T-cell therapy lab, allowing children to stay in Orlando for advanced treatments instead of traveling hundreds of miles away like Joe’s family had to do.

For AdventHealth, the partnership with families such as the Skinners is deeply personal and long-lasting.

“These are some of our most meaningful gifts,” says Becca Divine Davis, senior development specialist at AdventHealth. “Families who have experienced our care know the needs of others firsthand. They know our doctors and staff. And we know them.”

Over the past 10 years, the golf tournament has raised about $170,000 for pediatric oncology programs and research at AdventHealth for Children. 

“This is not just the family writing a check,” says Courtney. “This is a collective of individuals that come together to do something really special in Joe’s memory.”

And now, as the 10-year anniversary of Joe’s passing approaches, the Skinner family is planning a special fundraising appeal so they can continue to help children through the SkinnerStrong Foundation. 

“We are very proud to be able to do this in Joe’s memory,” says Judy.

To learn more, visit SkinnerStrongFoundation.org.