Martin Hoeger, owner of Steam Pub, will host a charity golf outing to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Since 2004, Martin Hoeger has been on a mission to help families affected by cancer.
That year, the Southampton-based Steam Pub owner lost his mother, Patricia, to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 60, and lost her battle a mere nine months later. Last summer, cancer reared its ugly head once again when Hoeger’s sister-in-law, Mary Elizabeth Straub, succumbed to acute myeloid leukemia after a two-year fight at the age of 44.
Following the death of Straub, Hoeger knew it was time to take action. He wanted to do something to ensure that, one day, other families wouldn’t need to experience that same crushing pain and heartache. On Monday, Aug. 27, Hoeger will host Steam Pub’s first Take a Swing at Cancer charity golf outing. All proceeds from the fundraising event, which will take place at the Philmont Country Club in Huntington Valley, will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The shotgun-style tournament begins at noon, with registration opening at 10:30 a.m. Afterward, participants are invited back to Steam Pub for dinner, raffles and auctions. According to Hoeger, each ticket purchase will help LLS focus on cutting-edge research, finding cures, and bridging the gap between academic discovery and drug development.
Over the past 18 years, LLS has fast-tracked $10 million for new cancer treatments, as well as used donations to support co-payment assistance programs, patient travel assistance, the development of podcasts, online chats and peer-to-peer support groups for those battling cancer.
Depending on the success of Take a Swing at Cancer’s inaugural event, Hoeger hopes to make it an annual tradition with a different type of cancer selected each summer. For next year, he’s already considering having proceeds benefit a charity for brain cancer, since the fiance of a Steam Pub server recently learned she has a brain tumor.
“We want to spread the love as much as we can,” he said.
Though Hoeger will surely be busy during the event making sure everything runs smoothly, the memories of his lost loved ones — the reason behind the entire day — will hold fast in his mind. Patricia, or Pat, was a hard-working mother of five and grandmother of six. She was deeply loved by her husband, Charlie, as well as countless cousins, aunts and uncles. Straub, a mother of four, was always selfless with her time, whether she was caring for her parents, siblings or patients as a registered nurse.
Hoeger expressed his gratitude for the multitude of sponsors, including FirstTrust Bank, Fast Capital 360 and the D’Angelo Foundation, that have stepped up to the plate to help honor these women. All are local businesses, and he hopes their support will make Take a Swing at Cancer a staple community event. ••
If you go…
Steam Pub’s Take a Swing at Cancer will be held Monday, Aug. 27, at the Philmont Country Club, 301 Tomlinson Road in Huntingdon Valley.
Registration opens at 10:30 a.m., with the tournament beginning at noon. Dinner will be held afterward at Steam Pub, 606 2nd Street Pike in Southampton.
Sponsorship is closed, but those interested in golfing can still register at thedangelofoundation.org/take-a-swing-at-cancer.html.
If a business or individual cannot attend the event but would like to make a monetary donation, checks can be made payable and sent to The D’Angelo Foundation at 969 Street Road, Southampton, PA 18966.
For questions regarding the event, text Martin Hoeger at 215–284–8674 or Maggie Hoeger at 215–203–6808, or email Golf@steampub.com.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
