In 2001, Dean Randazzo was at the top of his career when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the immune system.
Nicknamed the “Jersey Devil,” Randazzo was the first and only New Jersey surfer to qualify for the prestigious World Surf League tour.
Faced with the life-altering news, Randazzo struggled with whether to tell his sponsors, fearing it would jeopardize the support that fueled his career. He ultimately revealed his diagnosis at the U.S. Open of Surfing in 2001, and while some sponsors pulled away, many stepped up to support Randazzo’s fundraising efforts.
Randazzo, who was in his early 30s at the time, used his situation to drive his efforts in helping others fighting similar battles.
“I had insurance but I was at a younger age, where a lot of my friends weren’t really too concerned about insurance, just because when you’re young, you feel healthy and invincible,” Randazzo said. “So I was just thinking, ‘What if other people out there got sick like I did and didn’t have health insurance?’ So I figured I’d turn a bad situation into something positive — give back and help other people.”
That same year, he started the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation.
Although the nonprofit wasn’t officially formed at the time, the first Surf for a Cause event was held in September 2001, just months after his diagnosis.
Now, more than two decades later, the foundation has raised over $1 million to assist cancer patients and their families and has expanded its fundraising efforts to include events like Paddle for a Cause, Yoga for a Cause, Golf for a Cause and Concert for a Cause.
All proceeds go toward the foundation’s mission of easing financial stress by supplying aid for travel, treatment, rent and mortgage payments for those undergoing cancer treatment.
“When someone in a family is diagnosed, it affects everybody. People have to take off work, and there’s loss of finances and [it] becomes a real stress,” Randazzo said. “The last thing we want is people stressing about finances when they should focus on the disease and get better.
The nonprofit was officially granted 501(c)(3) status in 2021, and its reach has grown exponentially since. All board members and event organizers are volunteers, and the foundation hosts multiple fundraisers throughout the year.
Jon Baker, president of the foundation, first got involved after attending the second Surf for a Cause contest. A local artist and longtime fan of Randazzo, he donated a painting for a raffle and was later invited to join the board.
The 24th annual Surf for a Cause is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, the Saturday after Labor Day, and 300 people are expected to take part in the competition. The surf contest takes place in Margate between Decatur and Huntington avenues, on the beach in front of the Ventura’s Greenhouse.
“People come in from all over the country. They make it a point to come in at that time of year and reconnect and visit with old friends, and everybody hangs out on the beach, and it’s just such a magical day, truly,” Baker said.
Surfers of all ages and skill levels — from 8-year-olds to adults in their 70s — are encouraged to participate. Registration is open at thedrcf.org. The contest runs from 8 a.m. into the early afternoon and is followed by a beachside after-party with buffet food, live music by Head High, raffle prizes and a cash bar.
“My favorite part [of the day] is bringing the community together. Friends and people come from all over and it’s a reunion type setting,” Randazzo said. “It’s built around something I love — surfing.”
