Softball tournament raises awareness of services to help cancer patients

Softball fans of all ages have an opportunity to watch some ball games while supporting a holistic lifestyle for those battling cancer at the Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation’s fourth annual co-ed softball tournament on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Throop Little League Fields, Sanderson Street, Throop.

The Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation is a nonprofit that was created by the late Jessica Rutkowski after learning that she had stage 4 triple negative breast cancer in 2019. After losing her battle with cancer in June 2021, her mother, Julie Rutkowski, now runs the nonprofit to carry out her vision and shareinformation on the benefits of a holistic lifestyle and variety of holistic services available for those battling cancer, according to Julie Rutkowski.

While Jessica Rutkowski underwent cancer treatment, using a variety of holistic services “made her and her family feel better and gave her a better quality of life,” said Julie Rutkowski. She said “self-care helps you get through the side effects of treatment.”

Some of the holistic services offered by the foundation include massage therapy that helps ease pain, reduce inflammation and heal scar tissue, and reiki that helps strengthen and unblocks energy to ease tension and stress. There is also aromatherapy that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being; halotherapy, a process of breathing in dry salt particles to provide an anti-inflammatory benefit; float tank therapy, which makes you feel weightless and relaxes your muscles; and healing crystals that help relieve anxiety, depression and insomnia, according to Julie Rutkowski.

“We offer any of those services to any cancer patient free of charge for any cancer patient that contacts us,” Julie Rutkowski said. Additionally, the foundation is “always open to anything a patient considers self-care,” she said.

The annual tournament started with Jessica Rutkowski’s love of baseball. She got a lot of pleasure from playing softball and was in a softball league as an adult that included some of her best friends, according to Julie Rutkowski.

The annual softball tournament raises funds for the foundation for the year. The tournament started with 10 teams competing and this year there are 14 teams competing, according to Julie Rutkowski.

Karen Rabak, Jessica Rutkowski’s aunt and Julie Rutkowski’s sister, appreciates Throop for letting the foundation use the park for the fundraiser. She said it is a family event for all ages, and lots of kids run around and play during the event while their parents play softball.

Food will be for sale at the concession stand at the tournament, including pulled pork sandwiches, Texas wieners and pizza, according to Julie Rutkowski. There will also be a variety of raffle baskets at the tournament, according to Rabak.

To spread the word about the foundation, Julie Rutkowski speaks at many cancer support groups and works with social workers at cancer centers to reach out to cancer patients about what the foundation can offer them and the benefits of holistic services.

Recently, the foundation sent 100 care packages to the Geisinger Cancer Center in Dickson City, according to Julie Rutkowski. The care packages include puzzle books, journals, lotions, ChapStick lip balms, candles and snacks. The puzzle books and journals give patients something to do while sitting and having treatments, and the candles and lotions incorporate the holistic service of aromatherapy, according to Rabak.

“I think it is a great honor to bring to life what Jess wanted,” Julie Rutkowski said about making holistic services available to others.

Using the holistic services “helps out a lot,” said Erica Francis, beneficiary of the Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation.

Francis heard about the foundation from a coworker who referred her when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. The foundation helped her get access to massages and float tank therapy. The holistic services help with the mental aspect of treatment and are “very relaxing and comforting,” she said.

“Definitely reach out to them because they are very helpful and don’t turn anyone away,” Francis said about the foundation.

Francis said people may have a misconception that the foundation is about only taking holistic treatments for cancer. However, it is more about incorporating the holistic treatments alongside other treatments.

“We really want patients to contact us to introduce them to the benefits of these services,” said Julie Rutkowski. “It makes the quality of life so much easier and better.”

So far, the foundation has helped several dozen people access holistic treatments, according to Julie Rutkowski.

The Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation works with local businesses offering holistic services, including the Salted Pixie in Archbald, Relaxations by Tori Siconolfi LMT in Throop and the Eleventh Element in Edwardsville and is “always looking for sources of self-care to make available to patients,” said Julie Rutkowski.

The foundation offers services available to anyone at any age and with any type of cancer, according to Rabak.

“Come and enjoy a day in Throop at our event,” said Julie Rutkowski.

For more information about the Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation, contact Julie Rutkowski by calling or texting 570-972-4266 or by email at [email protected].

To show support

The Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation will hold its fourth annual co-ed softball tournament on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Throop Little League Fields, Sanderson Street, Throop. Food will be for sale at the concession stand, and there will also be a variety of raffle baskets. The public is invited to attend.

For more information about the Strong and Coura’Jess Foundation and the softball tournament, contact Julie Rutkowski by calling or texting 570-972-4266 or by email at [email protected].