With summer in full swing, golf lovers everywhere are hitting the links, but for one group of people golfing signifies much more.

For a group of 12 Thornhill relatives, every year marks a special golf tournament in honour of someone they’ve lost to cancer.

Eight years ago, Charles Krowitz, passed away, at the age of 30, from Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a rare type of cancer. He left behind a 9-month old son, Adam and wife, Nicole.

Mr. Krowitz was diagnosed with the disease, which typically affects men in their 20s and 30s, in November 1999, and passed away only six months later.

When Charles passed away, there wasn’t much research into this form of cancer, a malignancy of the B cells which are a crucial part of our immune systems.

The tragic death prompted his family members, led by parents Penny and Barry Krowitz, to organize a charity golf tournament.

“When we started this, we didn’t think we could raise this as much as we did,” Charles’ cousin, Melissa Snider-Adler said.

The tournament is the culmination of hours of work beginning each November, in preparation for the July event.

“It’s a full-time job and all of us have full-time jobs,” Ms Snider-Adler said.

The Charles Krowitz Golf Classic is in its eighth year, and has raised $500,000 for research into Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

This year’s tournament, which took place July 10, netted an additional $100,000.

“It was pretty amazing,” Ms Snider-Adler said.

Their goal when they started was to raise $60,000 a year for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and Dr. Mark Minden, a physician at the hospital, to do further research into the disease.

Despite the success of the tournament, Ms Snider-Adler explained the day is still tough on the family.

“It’s always a bittersweet event but it’s a little sad that we have to do this in Charles’ memory. Even now eight years later, it’s still difficult,” Ms Snider-Adler explained, adding it is something Charles would appreciate because he loved to golf.

Among the promises made by Charles’ family is not to spend unnecessary money, so 100 per cent goes to research.

“It’s quite an amazing event for a small group of people. We decided a long time ago we wouldn’t spend money, so everybody pays to come. That’s part of the philosophy,” Vaughan Councillor Alan Shefman, who was Charles’ uncle, said.

 He works as the master of ceremonies each year and said the warm, friendly atmosphere is what makes the day such a success.

“It’s a very satisfying way to remember my nephew,” he said.

The group has also received a helping hand over the last two years from another charitable organization, the Gentle Ben Charity Challenge.

It is named in memory of Ben Pearl who passed away from complications related to lung cancer. Each fall, the Gentle Ben is a special golf getaway. The cost to participants covers travel and golf expenses. For the last two years, the Charles Krowitz Burkitt’s Lymphoma Research Fund has been a lucky recipient.

For more information on the Charles Krowitz Burkitt’s Lymphoma Research Fund visit www.charleskrowitzgolf.com