John and Jennifer Kirse were just an ordinary newly married couple anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child. After great anticipation, and two weeks past her due date, Molly Kathryn Kirse was born November 7, 1989. Weighing in at 10 pounds, she was the picture of perfect health. For the first twelve weeks of her life, she continued to get glowing reports from her pediatrician. But on January 30, 1990, John and Jennifer's ordinary life turned upside-down when the unthinkable happened: Molly never woke up from her morning nap. John and Jennifer couldn't imagine how their beautiful, healthy daughter could die suddenly, without warning. Their pediatrician explained to them that their daughter died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.
John and Jennifer worked together trying to learn how to cope with such a devastating loss. They knew that their life would never be complete without children to raise. As a result, on August 20, 1991, their son Matthew Daniel was born. Unfortunately, Matthew was not the picture of perfect health. He had a condition known as Potter's Syndrome, which kept his lungs from developing. He fought hard for ten hours, but the battle was more than he could handle, and he died due to complications of his condition. Along with the additional grief came many questions asking "Why?" But, at the same time, it brought a strong sense of determination to have a family.
John and Jennifer eventually had two more sons. Nicholas Daniel was born on August 12, 1992, and Benjamin Michael was born on January 28, 1996. Nick and Ben are healthy, happy boys who provide immense joy to their parents and the rest of their family. Even though John and Jennifer have two wonderful children, they desire to keep Molly and Matthew's memories alive in a way that will benefit other children. Thus, the Molly and Matthew Kirse Memorial Golf Tournament was founded. The Kirse Memorial Golf Tournament ran successfully for 10 years and raised over $200,000. All proceeds from this event go directly to benefit the KU Pediatrics Department in an effort to provide help to children in need.
In 2007, the Kirse family decided to join with The Shawnee/Kansas City Delta Delta Delta Alumnae Association to co-host the Chance for Children 5k Run/Walk. This move is an effort to combine the strenghth of the previous years A Chance for Children event and the long history of the Golf Tournament creating an event that will be a great opportunity to raise money for all children that benefit from cancer services and PICU care offered by KU Pediatrics.
It is the fervent hope of John and Jennifer and The Shawnee/Kansas City Delta Delta Delta Alumnae Association that this event, with the help of the business community and caring individuals, will continue to provide much-needed help to the many children who pass through the doors of KU Pediatrics Department.
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The University of Kansas Medical Center