Reese Shirey was just 10 years old when doctors diagnosed her with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2019, a fight that included emergency surgery to remove a third of one of her lungs, blood transfusions, and repeated spinal taps. This month, the 18-year-old from Baltimore, Ohio stood on the first tee of a professional golf tournament in Columbus and took the ceremonial opening shot before walking away with a $10,000 college scholarship from Nationwide.
Shirey, now a senior at Liberty Union High School and a varsity cheerleader, hit the “First Shot to Fight Cancer” that opened the 2026 Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship, according to WSYX. The tournament, held every September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, takes place at The Ohio State University Golf Club's Scarlet Course in Columbus and raises money for pediatric cancer treatment and research. Since 2007, it has generated nearly $33 million for that cause.
Shirey wasn't done after her opening tee shot. She also sank the ceremonial “Last Putt to Cure Cancer” on the 18th hole at the close of this year's tournament, joining past Patient Champions like Natalie Gray in 2025 and Cecelia Jalloh in 2024 who have opened tournament play, according to Nationwide. As part of the tournament's “Pros Fore Patients” program, she and other Patient Champions also got golf instruction from Korn Ferry Tour professionals and helped assemble care packages for children currently undergoing inpatient treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
From Diagnosis to Remission
Shirey's path to the fairway started with years of treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital, where she underwent multiple rounds of therapy after her 2019 diagnosis. The station's report notes she achieved remission in 2021 and rang the remission bell to mark the milestone. She now works as a lifeguard at her community pool and says she plans to pursue a career as an oncology nurse or oncologist.
Her diagnosis came at an age where outcomes for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common pediatric malignancy, have improved substantially. Five-year relative survival rates reach 94% for children diagnosed between ages 5 and 9 and 86% for those diagnosed between ages 10 and 14, per the National Cancer Institute. Overall five-year survival for ALL among children under 15 nationwide is 92.3%, per the National Cancer Institute.
A Hospital With National Standing
The hospital that treated Shirey carries significant clinical weight beyond central Ohio. In U.S. News & World Report's 2026–2027 rankings, Nationwide Children's Hospital placed 8th nationally for pediatric cancer care and landed on the 11-hospital national Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll, according to Becker's Oncology. The hospital's broader network records more than 1.9 million patient visits annually.
The tournament that gave Shirey her moment in the spotlight is also a serious athletic proving ground. Scottish golfer Sandy Scott won the 2026 event this past weekend with an 18-under 266 total, earning the $270,000 winner's share of the $1.5 million purse, as reported by Golf News Net. It was the 23rd tournament on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour schedule and the second of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events, where the top 20 players in season points standings secure full PGA Tour privileges for the following year.
A Course Steeped in History
A Course Steeped in History The Scarlet Course itself carries its own pedigree. The par-71, 7,455-yard course was designed in 1931 by Alister MacKenzie and renovated in 2006 by Jack Nicklaus; it hosted the championship in 2015. The tournament has generated nearly $33 million for pediatric cancer treatment and research.
Back home in Fairfield County, Shirey attends Liberty Union High School. Having one of its own stand on the tee of a nationally televised professional golf event marks a rare moment of connection between the community and the broader medical and athletic institutions of central Ohio.
