VERMILION PARISH — Abbeville, La - Clear skies and the satisfying crack of perfect drives set the tone Saturday morning at Southern Oaks Country Club, where 69 golfers gathered for the ninth annual Levy Cancer Foundation Golf Classic.
The Levy Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in memory of Irvin and Josephine Levy, longtime Abbeville residents who lost their lives to cancer. The organization works to ensure Vermilion Parish residents have access to viable treatment options, often in partnership with local healthcare providers.
The tournament, held each year in Abbeville, raises funds to benefit cancer patients in Vermilion Parish. For Andrew Dozier, president of the Levy Cancer Foundation, the course holds personal significance.
“Most of the benefits and proceeds go to Vermilion Parish residents,” Dozier said. “This is pretty much the home course … and the staff does an awesome job.”
But for some, the event goes far beyond a love of the game. Among those on the fairway was Earl “Boo” Landry Jr., a cancer survivor who plays with a deeper purpose.
“It just so happens that I’m a cancer survivor,” Landry said. “My family and I are very supportive of the community and all the organizations that need help.”
In addition to raising funds, the foundation teamed up with Abbeville General to offer on-site PSA testing for golfers—a health resource that has proven life-saving in the past.
“Abbeville General comes in and does PSA testing on the golfers,” said Anita Levy, chairperson of the foundation. “Last year, I think we had two that were positive for prostate cancer.”
The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test is a blood test that helps screen for prostate cancer by measuring a protein produced in the prostate. Elevated levels can indicate the need for further examination.
Though golfers came for the competition, many stayed for the mission.
“It makes me feel good,” Landry said. “People care.”
To donate, contact Levy Cancer Foundation Chairperson Anita Levy:
(337) 281-4668
