This past weekend as most of us celebrated our mother’s with cards, flowers and gifts, there was a 13-year-old girl who had given her mother a different kind of gift two weeks earlier.
Dakoda Dowd, a talented and accomplished junior golfer from Florida, competed in the LPGA Tour Ginn Clubs and Resorts Open, April 27th and 28th. Dowd was given a special sponsors exemption into the tournament by Bobby Ginn, president and CEO of Ginn Clubs and Resorts, when he learned of the family’s very special situation.
Kelly Jo Dowd, Dakoda’s mother, was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2002. She underwent double mastectomy and chemotherapy treatments and doctors thought the cancer was in remission. In the fall of 2005, doctors discovered she now had cancer in her bones and liver, and she was given a terminal diagnosis.
As the family struggled with medical bills, Dakoda decided that she was going to quit playing golf so she could spend time with her mother. However, Kelly Jo had a different idea; her dream was to see her daughter play on the LPGA Tour.
In-steps Ginn, who had heard of the Dowd family’s plight and gave Dakoda, who has won 185 junior tournaments, an exemption into his tournament, making her the youngest girl to ever compete on the LPGA Tour. Dakoda responded by shooting a two-over-par 74 in the first round, with a birdie on the first hole. She went on to shoot 82 the second day, missing the cut by eight strokes.
The tournament committee gave the Dowd family a replica tournament champion trophy in honor of her and her mother’s struggles.
From a PR standpoint, this was great for the tournament’s community relations and the publicity of the tournament, as this drew great media attention. It also brought attention to the Dowd’s fundraising efforts for Kelly Jo’s medical needs, and gave the LPGA a boost in the goodwill department.
But I share this story, not for the PR reasons, but for the human reasons. This is simply a wonderful tale of family and love. It’s a story about a situation that happens everyday in this country, as families struggle with cancer and other diseases. But it makes you feel good when a young girl can fulfill her mother’s greatest wish.
