Zach Totherow's Hope Lodge Memorial
We are gathering donations for the American Cancer Society's Charleston Hope Lodge as a memorial to Zach Totherow. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to sponsor a guest room at the Charleston Hope Lodge in Zach's name.
Zach Totherow was one of the happiest, most outgoing, kindest young men you would ever hope to meet. His loud laughter will always be remembered. When Zach was diagnosed with oral cancer in August of 2013, he brought his faith and optimism to the fight. We also had other help. Zach and I (his mother Jaci) lived at the Charleston Hope Lodge free for 13 weeks while Zach underwent chemotherapy and radiation at MUSC. It was a great help to our family and Zach loved the Charleston Hope Lodge. Our stays in Charleston were buoyed by the caring staff at the Hope Lodge and MUSC, the beauty of Charleston, and overarching optimism and love. Zach often talked of making something good come of his trials and particularly how he wanted to help the Hope Lodge in the future. Last year, just days after his 2nd round of chemo and radiation, he was a speaker at the Charleston Cure Classic telling the sponsors of his experience.
Later, as Zach continued treatment in trials at Sloan Kettering in New York (where we were fortunate to stay in the NY Hope Lodge) and at Dana Farber in Boston Zach often talked about how he wished we could just go back to Charleston. In the Hope Lodge he was comfortable, among friends, and he loved our afternoon walk to the park where people let their dogs run and play.
Zach and me in Charleston
Now it is we, his family and friends that honor Zach by helping the Charleston Hope Lodge on his behalf. We were blessed with insurance and family to help us cover the cost of Zach’s illness and funeral so all donations from this memorial will go to the Charleston Hope Lodge as Zach wanted to do himself. We are working with the director of the Charleston Hope Lodge and the American Cancer Society. We are pledging to raise $25,000 (over 3 years) in order to have Zach’s name on a room. This year his dad, Kevin, will be a speaker at the 2015 Charleston Cure Classic on Zach’s behalf. He will tell of Zach’s experience and we will ask people at this event to help us by including the Zach Totherow Memorial on their Hope Lodge donation.
We are committed to raising the $25,000. If you would like to help us you can donate on this site, or send a check directly to the Charleston Hope Lodge, 269 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401 marked “Zach Totherow Memorial”. You could even sponsor a golf team in the Charleston Cure Classic.
Zach with Jake as a puppyThank you for considering giving to the Charleston Hope Lodge where no donation is too small.
Please share with your friends, and as Zach always said -Thank you, God bless.
