Joy Opening Doors Inspiring Survivors Foundation, or Jodi’s Foundation, was established in January 2023, to help Cancer patients at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO. The foundation is partnering with Shannon’s Wig Boutique in Osage Beach and members of the nursing and administrative staff at Lake Regional Hospital to help patients acquire a wig or other head coverings due to their disease or the treatment of it. As the foundation grows, we hope to provide this assistance to patients seen at other hospitals in the Lake of the Ozarks region and veteran organizations as well. Our long-term goals, are to provide additional assistance and opportunities for patients, care givers, and their families as well.

Jodi’s Foundation Story:

Jodi’s foundation was established in memory of my late wife, Jodi Weaver, who was also a patient of Lake Regional’s Cancer Center. Jodi’s Love of God and her family and the Joy she tried to share with everyone she encountered inspired many people. Jodi would often pray for others while receiving treatments, and with the help of her nurses, shared words of encouragement through hand written note cards and gift cards with anyone she felt needed it.

While being treated for her cancer, the chemotherapy drugs caused Jodi to lose her hair. Downplaying this, she said it wasn’t a big a thing. However, our young daughter said she wanted her real mommy back. That hurt Jodi a lot, and she began to look at wigs but was uncertain what to look for, and the cost was significant for a good quality one, while still raising kids and running a home. During this time, she was seen by a physician at the Goldschmidt Cancer Center in Jefferson City, MO, and was afforded an opportunity to receive a wig at no cost through a similar memorial program as our foundation. This act of kindness along with a hat, toboggan, and other items provided by AngiandArlynd.com helped to motivate Jodi, bringing her Joy and lifting her spirits when she needed it most.

After Jodi’s passing on July 12, 2022, I never forgot the happiness these gifts had brought my wife, and in turn the rest of our family. I wanted other cancer patients to experience this same life changing Joy that I had witnessed in Jodi. Knowing Lake Regional did not have a system in place to assist patients the way Jodi had been in Jefferson City, MO, I worked to establish Joy Opening Doors Inspiring Survivors “JODI’S” Foundation.

This past year we have been blessed to have helped several patients in need of wigs from younger girls to older ladies. My Hope is that these small gifts bring them the Joy and Courage needed to continue to stand against the diseases they are struggling with until cured.

We have been fortunate to have several donors help us this past year and I urge anyone who is contemplating on donating to do so. Sharing in the blessings and hope we experience from helping each patient is worth so much more than you can imagine.

As Jodi would always say, “Remember to always choose Joy!”

Sincerely,

Don Weaver

Founder and CEO of JODI’S Foundation

jodisfoundation@gmail.com

JODI'S Joy Fund

Team Members