The Inspiration for Erik's Way
Erik was a wonderful man - husband, father, son, brother, and friend to many. He was an exceptional athlete, funny and a hard worker. His two children, Luke and Madison, looked up to him and learned to love sports as much as he did. His wife, Ronniee-Marie, had never met someone who was so patient and giving. A lifelong resident of San Pedro, a Mary Star Alumni and a Longshoreman, Erik simply was an amazing person.
In 2017, at the age of 41, Erik was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma in his right thigh. Erik, his wife and children were suddenly in a battle in which they had no idea what to do or what to expect. He had surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and participated in a clinical trial all in hopes of beating cancer. Through it all, Erik remained positive and always wore a smile for his kids. Sadly, his fight ended on March 29, 2019.
Cancer became something Erik and I learned about and had to adjust our lives to. We would spend days and weeks at the hospital, away from our children who at the time were only 9 and 11. We relied on those around us to help maintain what was "normal" for our kids, even though that meant Erik and I didn't get to go to the sporting events or the school functions. The feelings of being overwhelmed, alone, and confused were felt by all of us. But, one day we were informed about a program, Walk With Sally, for families like us.
Because of Walk With Sally, I was able to cope and manage all that life threw at me. Because of Walk With Sally, we are here today to honor Erik's life and be that beacon of hope and support for other families who are experiencing the trauma of cancer.
Love and light to all who are experiencing cancer as the caregiver, a child seeing a parent or family member going through it, or as the cancer warrior themselves. As individuals you can handle what is thrown at you, but you are even stronger together.
Ronniee-Marie
Who We Are
Dealing with the challenges that cancer brings to a family’s life can be overwhelming. Erik’s Way emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and support the cancer community in the South Bay. Established in 2020, we are a charity that works in collaboration with other non-profit organizations in order to provide additional support to children and families affected by the trauma of cancer. Through our programs, we believe that we can be that strong foundation of support during this time by creating a friendship that begins in the home for children ages 4-16 and recognizes caregivers for the unique position that they are in.
Meeting you where you're at
Programs offered by Erik's Way
Books and Baked Goods
According to Dr. Seuss:
You can find magic wherever you look, sit back and relax, all you need is a book.
Working with those that have been affected by cancer with children aged 4-16, we host small reading programs where children get to listen to a story, receive a copy of the book, and enjoy a story-themed treat. We believe that our Books and Baked Goods program can help children and family find that magic, that light and that hope in the middle of what might be a sad and scary time.
If you are interested in joining us for one of our programs or would like more information, please complete the referral form.
Caregiver Corner
Being a Cancer Caregiver is the most important job one can have during this journey, but it can also be tough. Let us help you through the process and remind you to breathe, take care of yourself, and rely on others.
The link below is a list of resources that we found helpful during our journey. If you have suggestions as well, please use the contact button below and we will add it to the Caregiver Resources page.
From one caregiver to another, we are here to meet you where you’re at and be that community of support that can come to you.
Thank you to all of our partnerhips!
 Maribo Cares is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which lovingly supports cancer fighters and survivors, their families and pets by means of providing direct assistance, services, programs, and referrals. We offer continuity of assistance where the help from other organizations ends or is not available. |  Linda Morgan |  Walk With Sally provides hope through our individualized mentoring and community support services to empower children experiencing trauma through a parent, guardian or sibling's cancer journey. |
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 Coming Soon |  Coming Soon |  Coming Soon |
We are so happy you’re interested in getting involved with our work here at Erik’s Way. There are so many ways for you to help, and we truly appreciate each and every effort. By lending your support, you’ll become a valuable part of our charity and help to strengthen our programs for all the Walk With Sally families.
Storytime Podcasts
Erik's Way is officially launched and we just recorded our first Storytime Podcast!
The first one is "The Day the Crayons Quit"...one of my favorite children's books. To hear all of the Storytime Podcasts, click the link at the top of the page and become a member. This is a great way to connect with your children and provide an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy a story.
If you would like to submit your own Storytime Podcast, please use the link below.
Contact Erik’s Way
Help Erik's Way reach our quarterly goals
2022
January - December