A Richmond nonprofit recently partnered with the Pittsburgh Steelers to provide a lasting memory for a fan from Contra Costa County who is suffering from liver cancer.
The Stanton Standards Foundation and the NFL team threw a heartwarming surprise party for Andrey, a father of three from Pittsburg in Contra Costa County.
The foundation captured touching moments when Steelers Center Cody Wallace showed up at Andrey’s home. Surrounded by loved ones, Wallace hung out with Andrey, and came bearing gifts that included Steelers gear and autographed memorabilia. Defensive End Arthur Moats also delivered a fun, personalized video to Andrey, praising him not only for his dedication to the Steelers, but also for being a great husband and father.
Vieneese Stanton, a co-founder of the Stanton Standards Foundation, said her organization was proud to create another lasting memory for a family struggling with terminal illness.
Vieneese knows the power of such a memory, as she herself benefited from a similar experience. In 2017, she married her husband Douglas Stanton in a ceremony at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, where her father was a patient. The couple had planned to marry the following year, but changed their plans after learning Vieneese’s father, Preston Rolan, had been diagnosed with acute leukemia and was given six weeks to live. The nurses at UCSF helped with the ceremony, during which Preston walked his daughter down the aisle. Preston passed away days after the event.
The experience inspired Vieneese and Doug Stanton to form the Stanton Standards Foundation.
”We’re a nonprofit that caters to families who have loved ones with a terminal illness, to provide a lasting memory for them that their loved ones can hold onto,” Vieneese said. “We were given such joy on our special day and want nothing more than to pass on this experience and help families have great memories.”
