Softball, Sunflowers and Strength- Hopewell Athletes Play for a Worthy Cause, The Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation

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CANFIELD, OHIO- The Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation (www.mmefoundationjoy.org) was established in memory of Melina Edenfield, a spirted and loving young girl who lost her life to a rare and aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer known as Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) at just four years old.

Following her diagnosis in June 2020, Melina’s family was devasted to learn how little progress had been made in treating this cruel disease – and how few options were available to children like her.

In response to Melina’s wishes, the Edenfield family created the foundation to honor Melina’s vibrant spirt and bring hope to other families by funding research for pediatric brain tumors.

The foundation’s mission is clear: to raise awareness, accelerate research, and ultimately find a cure for DMG and similar childhood cancers. By supporting scientific innovation and advocating for increased funding, the foundation is determined to change the narrative for other children and families facing the same unimaginable fight.

Since its inception, the Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation has made significant strides, partnering with top tier research institutions and supporting studies that aim to unravel the complex biology of brain tumors. With a strong community base and heartfelt dedication, the foundation continues to shine a bright light on a deeply underfunded area of medical research.

CHOOSE JOY BENEFIT SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT – FRIDAY MAY 9TH THROUGH SUNDAY MAY 11TH

One of the foundation’s signature annual events is the Choose Joy Benefit Softball Tournament http://www.mmefoundationjoy.org/event/choose-joy-softball-tournament)

Held on Mother’s Day weekend, this tournament brings together teams from across the region for a weekend of competition, community spirt, and fundraising. It’s more than just a game – it’s a celebration of Melina’s chose to “Choose Joy”, is an opportunity to rally around a cause that matters, and a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from the unity of an entire region coming together. Whether you were swing a bat or cheering from the stands, your presence helping push pediatric cancer research forward.

Through Melina’s favorite vibrant colors, “cheeto” (Cheetah) print pattern on everything imaginable, Joy can be seen throughout every corner of this tournament.

I spoke with Melina’s parents, Keith and Michelle Edenfield leading up to and during the tournament.

1. Can you share some key accomplishments or achievements of this tournament?

“The most amazing thing to come from this tournament is the awareness. Our first year, I had a coach approach me and said there is no greater message I could give to my girls, and we will be back every year, and he always has. This tournament has allowed us to reach a new community of people and spread our needs for the severe underfunding of pediatric brain tumors. But even more, it has allowed us to share Melina’s message and remind everyone that joy is a choice. And you can always choose joy! This tournament has also raised an estimated $50,000 over the years!”

2. What was the goal of creating the Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation?

“When our Melina was diagnosed with a brain tumor, we learned that we were part of a problem. We didn’t know the severe underfunding of pediatric cancer (less than 4% of all national funding) and pediatric brain tumors, the deadliest form of cancer (less than 1% funding). We were part of the problem because we were not part of the solution. With our Melina, we learned there were minimal options without success. And we also learned that the standard of care for children has not advanced in the last fifty years for the treatment of brain tumors. We knew we had to do more. Our Melina wanted us to help the doctors. Our purpose now is to privately fund research studies and clinical trials. I never want families to hear “there is nothing” and feel that helplessness. We vowed to Melina, we would fight. And today, we have dedicated our foundation to finding a cure!”

I also spoke with Mike Brubaker and his wife, Joanna Brubaker, who are the tournament directors who had this to say about the tournament.

“Our friends unexpectedly lost their youngest daughter Melina to a deadly childhood brain tumor (DMG) and my wife Joanna, and I wanted to do something to honor her, but we had no idea what that something could be. After thinking a lot about it and that that the Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation had been established in Melina’s memory to help find a cure for this deadly disease, we decided to use our softball background to create the 1st Annual Melina Michelle Edenfield Benefit Tournament in 2021 and have donated 100% of all proceeds raised to Melina’s foundation every year since.”

“This past weekend was our 5th tournament and throughout the previous four years, our community, teams, players, coaches, and parents who have attended have blessed us with their overwhelming generosity and financial support. But we’ve come to realize now that although the money raised is truly inspiring, awesome, and flat out incredible, it isn’t the number one reason why we keep coming back to do this year after year. The main reason we continue to run this tournament is because we see the joy that it brings to Melina’s parents as they get to spend a weekend talking to so many friends, family, and strangers about their precious little girl, while promoting awareness throughout the softball community. There’s a reason it’s called “Choose Joy”!! And truthfully, we’re just thankful and humbled to be a part of this.”

This year a new tradition was introduced to create awareness and unity during the Choose Joy Tournament. Athletix 12u player Rosie Simko, a dedicated Florida Gators fan, introduced the tournament players to the Sunflower Saturday tradition. The 12U team wears sunflowers in honor of Melina every Saturday just as the Florida Gators softball team does in honor of Heather Braswell, an honorary member of their team that passed away from brain cancer at the age of 17.

Sunflowers were at every field on Saturday at the Choose Joy Tournament, as each team received enough for each player to wear – over 650 distributed. It was the definition of choosing joy on an absolutely beautiful day of softball.

Several Hopewell softball players had a very strong presence in this tournament across their perspective teams: Brooke Otto (7th grade) plays on the Athletix 12u team, who is managed by Keith Edenfield, the father of Melina. Also playing on that team this past weekend from Hopewell was Alyssa Phillips (7th grade). I also had a strong connection to the tournament, as my head coach on Athletix 14U is the founder of the tournament, Mike Brubaker, and my family and I are very close to the Edenfield’s.

The full list of Hopewell players who participated this past weekend:

Lillian Otto (8th grade- Athletix 14U)

Abigail Babinsack (8th grade- Ohio Blast 13U)

Isabella Cipolla (8th grade- Ohio Blast 13U)

Isabella Mutkus (8th grade- Ohio Blast 13U)

Brooke Otto (7th grade- Athletix 12U)

Alyssa Phillips (7th grade- Athletix 12U)

Kendall Bain (6th grade- Steel City Athletix 11U)

The winning teams and runners-up in each division were:
8u- 1st place- Queen Bee (Wheeling, WV)/2nd Place- Honey Badgers (Canfield, OH)

10u- 1st place- Queen Bee (Wheeling, WV)/2nd Place- West Hills Softball (Imperial, PA)

12U- 1st place- Rise 360 (Poland, OH)/2nd Place- Pittsburgh Passion (Allison Park, PA)

14u- 1st place- Athletix 14u (Canfield, OH)/2nd Place- Lady Knights (Canonsburg, PA)

Personally, I am so grateful that my family and I are part of this journey, and I can’t wait to witness the progress that it will make in the future.

Thank you, Melina, for reminding us to Choose Joy!!