Foundation raised $13,000 for cancer patients

WADESBORO — The Max Life Foundation shot past expectations and raised $13,000 for the foundation’s first ever fundraising event which will benefit families dealing with childhood cancer diagnoses.

The event brought together 44 participants and volunteers for a day filled with games, shooting and a dedication to Corey Morgan, who passed away from cancer.

Morgan was an avid hunter, which gave Dianna Lariviere, President and Founder of The Max Life Foundation, inspiration for the event.

“Everyone does 5Ks and fancy galas,” said Lariviere. “I wanted to do something out of the box that appeals to people in this area. The idea of an event Morgan would enjoy really sealed the deal for me.”

And so the First Annual Shoot for Cancer was created.

Originally intended for April, the event was postponed because of COVID-19. Lariviere never expected to host the first event during COVID-19, let alone start a foundation in the mist of a pandemic.

“It has been difficult. A lot of grants are not handing out money,” Lariviere said. “It is a hard experience, but a learning experience and it motivates us to do more moving forward.”

The Max Life Foundation, only began this year. The “Max Life” refers to Max Lariviere, 4, Dianna’s son, who was diagnosed with stage IV high-risk neuroblastoma in early 2018, according to the Foundation’s website. Max found himself in the top 10% of the most severe cases of this cancer, and despite setbacks and close calls, he is still fighting hard against the disease.

Lariviere started a nonprofit as a way to assist other families through the great financial exertion it takes to fight childhood cancer, and to help fund cancer research as the Foundation grows. When COVID-19 hit, Lariviere wanted to step back from the foundation. She was not comfortable with asking for donations because she knew people were struggling financially.

Looking forward to next year, Lariviere believes there will be more teams and more donations, but she is proud of what the foundation accomplished at the first event.

Because of the Shoot for Cancer’s success, Lariviere said the foundation can now start writing out checks to local families affected by cancer. The mission is to assist families with rent, mortgages, car payments or an electricity bill.

“This will give them the opportunity to focus on their child and not focus on if they can make ends meet,” Lariviere said.

The Max Life Foundation will send out financial assistance to families starting in October. Lariviere hopes this timing will help out families as the holiday season approaches.