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The Inspiration for Erik's Way

Erik's Way was founded in memory of an incredible man, Erik, who touched the lives of so many as a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was a man of unmatched character—funny, hardworking, and always there for his family and community. An exceptional athlete and a proud San Pedro resident, Erik's life was defined by his devotion to those he loved and his unwavering positivity, even in the face of life's toughest challenges.

 

In 2017, at the age of 41, Erik was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. His diagnosis came as a sudden shock, not just to him, but to his wife, Ronniee-Marie, and their two children, Luke and Madison. What followed was a long, grueling battle filled with surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials. Throughout this painful journey, Erik remained the same person he had always been—strong, patient, and deeply committed to his family. He smiled for his children even on the hardest days, showing them the power of resilience and hope.

 

But for those who love someone facing cancer, the journey is never just about the person who is sick—it affects the entire family. For Ronniee-Marie and the kids, it meant countless days at the hospital, long stretches away from home, and navigating life without the support of the one they loved. It meant missing out on sporting events and school functions, and living with the heavy weight of fear, confusion, and isolation.

 

That’s when Erik's Way was born—out of the need for support, understanding, and connection in times of unimaginable hardship. During their journey, Ronniee-Marie and Erik’s family were introduced to Walk With Sally, a program that became a lifeline. Walk With Sally offered the kind of support they didn’t even know they needed—giving them a sense of community and resources to help cope with the emotional, practical, and mental challenges of living through cancer. Through that program, they found strength, hope, and a shared understanding with other families walking similar paths.

 

After Erik's passing on March 29, 2019, Ronniee-Marie made it her mission to carry forward the lessons of love, resilience, and togetherness that Erik had exemplified. Erik's Way was created to honor Erik’s memory and to provide the same kind of support to other families that Walk With Sally had provided to hers.

 

At Erik's Way, we believe that no one should face cancer alone. Whether you're a caregiver, a child watching a loved one fight, or the warrior battling the disease yourself, we are here to help you find strength in each other. Together, we are stronger. Together, we can make the journey more bearable.

 

Our mission is simple: to offer hope, support, and love to families walking the difficult path of cancer, just as Erik did with such grace and strength. In doing so, we hope to help others make memories that will last a lifetime, just as Erik’s memory will continue to inspire us all.

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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.  Each of our programs are aimed at helping families make memories during this time.

Making Memories Through Our Programs

Annual Programs offered by Erik's Way

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Shop for Mom and Pop

*Event held end of April / First Week of May

*Donations collected year round

 

We invite children and families to create memories around gift-giving for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  Additionally, we provide books, snacks, and face-painting for the kids that come and a relaxing space with light refreshments and reading materials for the parents while the kids “shop”.  We encourage the families that are able to join us, to enjoy the space and make it a day in which everyone is pampered.  As always, we know that not all families are able to make it out to an event for a variety of reasons.  We do offer an opportunity for them to “order” gifts and we will deliver.

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Holiday Drive

*Kits delivered the second week of December

*Donations collected the week of Thanksgiving through the second week of December

 

One of our most popular programs, we deliver gingerbread houses and holiday cookie kits to families and other organizations that support those affected by cancer.  This ensures that families are given an opportunity to create lasting memories around a fun activity.  

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Bags of Love

Bags of Love is intended to provide opportunities for families to share moments through stories, puzzles, and even coloring.  It is intended to be for children of all ages and adults, for those with cancer and those who are personally affected by a loved one’s diagnosis.  

Thank you to all of our partnerhips!

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Maribo Cares supports the cancer fighter through their journey.

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Helping Hands

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 families that we work with.

Volunteer Your Time

We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved.  This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Erik’s Way.  Please fill out the volunteer form and we will contact you as soon as possible!

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Contact Erik’s Way

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Help Erik's Way reach our yearly goals

2024

January - December

Donations

Help us reach our goal of $6,000 to help fund the programs here at Erik's Way. Throughout the year we also collect book donations and  host specific drives to support our families.   

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Volunteers

For 2024, we would love to expand our numbers of volunteers that can assist with fundraising, supporting with in-person events, and delivering items to families.

Become a Part of Our Family

If you know someone who has been impacted by cancer, refer them to us so that we may support them in making memories.

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