Kate Amato Foundation kicks off Kate Kup to raise money for childhood cancer research

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Kate Amato Foundation put on a tennis tournament Saturday morning at the Yards in Ponte Vedra Beach to raise money to fight child cancer.

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The local group is working to fund research toward treatment for kids diagnosed with cancer in its 5th annual “Kate Kup” competition. It wants to raise $100,000 this year.

The foundation was founded by Lisa and Dennis Amato after they lost their daughter Kate to childhood cancer in 2016. Dennis told Action News Jax that the experience made them realize a deficit in funding for childhood cancer research, as children going through cancer treatment often must take adult drugs.

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The tournament sold out in less than a day, and people from all around the community showed up in droves to participate.

Event favors include food vendors like Taco Lu and the Bearded Pig, triples tennis games and a live DJ, with all funds going towards improving childhood cancer treatment.

The Kate Amato Foundation has already funded $575,000 in grants in recent years to fund this important research.

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