• Stories by Subject
  • Stories by State
  • COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS

Ben Hemmelgarn, 16-year-old cancer survivor, will celebrate his Anthem Home Run for Life at a Dragons Game

May 17, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

Dayton, Ohio—Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ohio and the Dayton Dragons will host 16-year-old Ben Hemmelgarn during the iconic Anthem Home Run for Life program on Wednesday, May 18, at 7:05 p.m., when the Dayton Dragons take on the Quad Cities River Bandits at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

The Anthem Home Run for Life program provides children in the Dayton region who are battling serious medical conditions with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each honoree gets to take a lap around the bases at Day Air Ballpark during a Dragons home game while the crowd cheers them on.

Ben will also have the chance to throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the Dragons game. A couple of Dayton Dragons and Cincinnati Reds players have special messages that will be shown in game after the Home Run for Life lap.

Ben’s Story

In December of 2018, Ben Hemmelgarn was a 7th grader experiencing extreme chest pain. Doctors prescribed him with an­tibiotics for what seemed like pneumonia. Several weeks later, he was still having a sharpness in his side, and a CT scan highlighted a lump on the right side of his chest.

A biopsy confirmed Ben had Ewing Sarcoma, a type of bone or soft tissue cancer that occurs in young children. Ben underwent six rounds of chemotherapy where he experienced a loss of taste and smell, hair loss, mouth sores, and numbness in his hands and feet.

After months of chemotherapy, an MRI scan showed that the tu­mor did shrink, but surgery was required to remove the remaining mass. The operation was successful however left Ben weak – it required doctors to also remove his fourth rib.

Through September of 2019, his chemo treatments continued to ensure the cancer would not return. The ‘End of Treatment’ scans in October of 2019 confirmed that Ben was cancer free!

Today, Ben is a sophomore at Coldwater High School. Ben plays second base for the Cavaliers Baseball team, and recently earned his driver’s license. After reflecting on his journey, he believes his perseverance was the driving force in his battle with cancer. He says “You can’t beat the person who never gives up…and I always try to be that person”

Join us Wednesday, May 18, to celebrate Ben’s Home Run for Life during the Dragons game.

To learn more about Anthem Home Run for Life, please visit www.daytondragons.com/hrfl.

Tagged as : Cincinnati Reds, Dayton Dragons, Home Run for Life, Midwest League, Ohio, Public Recognition/Celebrations/Events { }

Welcome to clubphilanthropy.com!

Minor League Baseball clubs have been actively involved in their communities for many years. For the first time, their activities and contributions will be chronicled on this site.

Clubs don’t publicize all of their activity, so these stories represent a mere fraction of the contributions MiLB clubs make to their communities every year.

Archives

  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009

© 2025 · clubphilanthropy.com