Jacksonville Nurse Raises $30,000 for Pediatric Cancer Patient with Fishing Tournament
- A Jacksonville OR nurse raised $30,000 through a community fishing tournament to support a pediatric cancer patient’s family,
- Nurse-led fundraising efforts are helping address financial stress that often accompanies long-term cancer treatment.
- Community-based events continue to play an important role in supporting families facing serious childhood illnesses.
When Jacksonville operating room nurse Sara Burk learned that one of her pediatric cancer patients’ families was struggling with mounting medical bills, she decided to act. Burk, who has worked in the OR for several years, said the financial stress was piling on top of an already overwhelming diagnosis for 10-year-old Gianna and her family. Wanting a solution that felt authentic to her coastal community, she landed on an idea rooted in local culture: a fishing tournament.
Fishing has long been a staple pastime in and around Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach, where anglers regularly turn out for inshore redfish events. Burk realized that same enthusiasm could be harnessed to help one of her patients outside the hospital walls.
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Turning a Passion Into $30,000 in Support
In October 2025, Burk organized the inaugural 904 Redfish Tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach. The event drew more than 200 anglers, along with local businesses and sponsors that donated money, gear, and prizes. Entry fees and sponsorships combined to raise $30,000, all designated to support Gianna and her family as they navigate recovery and long-term needs.
Gianna, a Jacksonville-area child, was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer and is now in remission, but her treatment included the amputation of her right leg. Tournament organizers noted that proceeds are helping cover rehabilitation as she learns to walk with a prosthetic leg, along with travel, lodging during care, everyday bills, and holiday expenses. The support comes at a time when her parents have had to reduce work hours.
Financial Toxicity in Pediatric Cancer
For families facing pediatric cancer, the medical crisis is often matched by a financial one. Advocacy groups report that many families incur thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs each year even when they have insurance, including copays, travel, lodging, lost wages, and uncovered services. Research on financial toxicity, the financial strain caused by the cost of cancer care, shows it can worsen quality of life, increase distress, and interfere with treatment adherence and follow-up.
Because nurses see patients and families frequently over the course of treatment, they are often the first to spot signs that financial stress is starting to affect care. Oncology and pediatric nursing literature highlights nurses’ role in initiating cost-of-care conversations, identifying social needs, and connecting families with resources for travel, lodging, and financial assistance. Community-based efforts like Burk's tournament help fill gaps that insurance and formal support programs do not always reach.
A Growing Pattern of Nurse-Led Fundraising
The 904 Redfish Tournament is part of a broader pattern of nurse-led, community-driven fundraising to support patients beyond the bedside. National pediatric cancer organizations note that grassroots campaigns, charity events, and local partnerships contribute significantly to research funding and direct family assistance, with leading groups such as the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation channeling tens of millions of dollars into pediatric cancer research and support since their founding.
Burk is no stranger to this model. In 2024, she organized a similar redfish tournament that raised money for the American Heart Association, inspired by her own family’s history of cardiac disease. Colleagues say her latest effort for Gianna has sparked conversations among other nurses in Jacksonville about how they might leverage their own interests and networks to support patients facing serious illness.
More Than a One-Time Event
While the $30,000 raised will have a direct financial impact for Gianna’s family, participants and organizers say the emotional support has been just as important. The event rallied anglers, hospital staff, and local sponsors around a shared purpose, signaling to the family that they are not facing the journey alone.
Planning is already underway for the next 904 Redfish Tournament, scheduled for September 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, with the goal of continuing to support families confronting serious medical challenges. For nurses, Burk's story highlights how clinical skills, community ties, and personal passions can intersect to drive meaningful change far beyond the operating room.
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