Toby Keith’s Legacy Lives On In His Namesake Foundation – A Charity To Help Pediatric Cancer Patients
Toby Keith’s charity, The Toby Keith Foundation, will now carry on his legacy after his death.
Keith received his stomach cancer diagnosis in 2021. He waited a few months before going public with the news.
When he did share the news with his fans in 2022, he announced he was taking a step back from performing. He had a “comeback” in 2023 at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September, when he performed “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”
Keith then performed a set of three final, sold-out shows in Las Vegas in December.
He passed away on February 5, with his family by his side.
Learn The Story Behind The Toby Keith Foundation
But years before Keith received his own cancer diagnosis, he stepped up in a huge way to help support cancer patients. Specifically, pediatric cancer patients.
Keith established the Toby Keith Foundation in 2006. He served as the President, while his wife, Tricia, serves as Vice President. Its mission “is to encourage the health and happiness of pediatric cancer patients and to support OK Kids Korral.”
OK Kids Korral opened in 2014. It is a “cost-free, convenient and comfortable home for pediatric cancer patients receiving treatment at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, and other nearby facilities.”
The OK Kids Korral aims to provide “comfort for the family [of pediatric cancer patients] in a time of pain.”
Keith was from Oklahoma. So he knew how pediatric cancer patients often had to travel multiple hours to receive treatments. That’s why he wanted to establish OK Kids Korral. That way, families would not have to deal with the emotional and financial toll of traveling on top of everything else they’re going through.
The OK Kids Korral hosts hundreds of family visits each year. According to its website, people from 70 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have visited the OK Kids Korral. The Korral has also hosted families from Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia, and multiple countries overseas.
How Much Money Has Toby Keith’s Charity Raised?
The Toby Keith Foundation raises funds year-round through various events. The organization has raised millions over the years to help support its cause and the OK Kids Korral.
One of the charity’s most popular events is the Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic. Keith hosted the event for 19 years.
In 2023, the Golf Classic raised a record-breaking amount of money. They raised an impressive total of $1.8 million.
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The first Golf Classic held after Keith’s passing shattered that record, raising an impressive total of $3.1 million to benefit the OK Kids Korral.
Now, the Toby Keith Foundation will continue to carry on Keith’s legacy through their work, which was all made possible because of him…
If you’d like to make a donation to the Toby Keith Foundation to support their efforts, there are multiple ways to do so. Learn more here.