Catching for Cancer

UNC Children’s has renamed its pediatric hematology/oncology clinic to The Reelin’ for Research Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic.

“I cannot imagine a better name for our clinic than The Reelin’ for Research Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic. Fourteen years of partnership and friendship has really paid off. The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology would not be where we are today without the support from Reelin’ for Research,” said Stuart Gold, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

On Saturday, April 30, 2022, Reelin’ for Research presented a check for $800,000 to Dr. Gold and Keela Lyon, senior executive director of development at UNC Children’s.

The first Reelin’ for Research tournament was held in 2009 in memory of Tony Montana, who passed away from cancer in 2005. Tony was blessed to live a long and full life, but remarked during his battle that children with cancer were too often deprived of that chance. Tony’s son Richard, along with a group of his friends, decided to honor Tony’s memory by doing something to try to change that. A fishing tournament benefiting childhood cancer research seemed the clear answer. And thus was born Reelin’ for Research.

Today roughly 60 boats compete annually making Reelin’ for Research one of the largest offshore fishing tournaments on the East Coast. Even more, Reelin’ for Research has grown beyond the tournament, becoming a year-round fundraising effort with over $5 million raised to date – all for childhood cancer research at UNC Children’s.

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