Strike Out Kids Cancer Foundation is the brainchild of a lifetime of playing baseball and a special friendship made on the diamond.

At age six, Dodge Suprun, had a team mate, named Ben. Ben developed brain cancer and during the preparation for Ben’s treatment, Dodge and Ben’s other team mates came to his hospital in Fort Worth to play with him before he underwent surgery and radiation.

Years later when Dodge Suprun was twelve and playing a travel baseball game a team mate returned to the dugout in tears after a strike out. On the way home Dodge remembered his friend Ben who hadn’t cried when they had to perform surgery or through his other treatment. It was then that he realized he wanted to play baseball both competitively, but also with kids who wanted to play baseball because it was fun.

Dodge set out to find the process to bring baseball to these kids and his nonprofit work and service to the community was born. Since those days, Dodge has put on games in multiple states for hundreds of children just wanting their chance on the field.

Dodge has focused on his sport of baseball, but also bringing basketball, football, and other sports to medically fragile children. These therapeutic recreation events have included a Ronald McDonald House visit in Florida during Spring Training joined by members of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays staff.

Dodge expects to additional opportunities to bring basketball, football (soccer), and American football to future events.