Longstanding program brings moments of joy to children fighting cancer
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies and members of the department’s Rodeo Committee visited Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 8, bringing toys and personalized gifts to pediatric patients battling cancer. The visits, which deputies have made for nearly two decades, are part of a broader effort to offer emotional support to children and families facing life‑threatening illnesses.
Deputies said the effort began in 2008 through the Debbie Chisholm Memorial Foundation, a law enforcement–based charity that helped connect officers with families in need. The department has continued the tradition while raising funds through its annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo each September. Proceeds and donations support youth programs as well as gifts and special experiences for hospitalized children.
“Over the years, these experiences have shown me the incredible courage of children fighting cancer, the strength of their families, and how meaningful it can be for them to know their community sees them, supports them, and is walking alongside them during some of their most difficult days,”
Deputy Sheriff Amy Ortiz, who serves as the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Rodeo Youth Programs director, emphasized how the program links community fundraising to direct patient support. She said associations with nationwide initiatives such as the Golden Circle of Champions have helped expand awareness and support for families confronting pediatric cancer and other life‑threatening illnesses.
What deputies delivered and why it matters
During this week’s visit, deputies hand‑delivered personalized gifts to each patient, including items selected to match individual interests. Hospital staff described the reactions as heartfelt: one child was particularly excited to receive a gift card for his favorite pizza restaurant, an example of how small, individual gestures can provide normalcy amid treatment.
Kait Briggs, a child life assistant at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, said watching the patients open gifts chosen especially for them serves as a ‘‘beautiful reminder’’ of the power of community support.
- Program origin: Debbie Chisholm Memorial Foundation, launched visits in 2008.
- Funding: proceeds from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Rodeo and sponsors.
- Affiliations: San Bernardino Sheriff’s Rodeo joined the Golden Circle of Champions in 2019.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of visit | Sept. 8 |
| Location | Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital |
| Organizers | San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department & Rodeo Committee |
| Program start | 2008 |
Community impact and continuity
For families facing the physical and emotional demands of pediatric cancer treatment, visits like these can provide brief but meaningful relief. Hospital staff and deputies alike point to the visits as a tangible expression of community care — a demonstration that local institutions and civic groups are investing not only money but time and attention.
The sheriff’s department has used its annual rodeo and other fundraising efforts to maintain the program. Since joining the Golden Circle of Champions in 2019, the department says it has been able to increase awareness and coordinate with other organizations focused on pediatric cancer support.
While the gifts themselves are small in the scale of medical treatment, hospital staff emphasize their outsized emotional benefit. The visits also create opportunities for law enforcement to build community relationships on a human level, providing a counterpoint to the more adversarial aspects of police work that often dominate public attention.
Officials said the department plans to continue its visits and fundraising efforts. For San Bernardino residents, the program is a reminder of the role local organizations can play in supporting vulnerable families and of the importance of continued community backing for charitable and health‑related initiatives.
