Teen Launches New Pickleball Fundraiser For Childhood Cancer In Marin

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A Marin teenager is launching a new pickleball fundraiser dedicated to childhood cancer awareness, hoping to turn the event into an annual community tradition.

Olivia Shekou, a 17-year-old senior at The Branson School, will host the Netting Miracles Childhood Cancer Awareness Pickleball Fundraiser Tuesday at Flyte Racquet Club in San Rafael.

Shekou recently appeared before the Marin County Board of Supervisors to seek support for making the tournament a broader countywide event.

“Childhood cancer is where so much of this began for me,” Shekou said. “I wanted to create something in our own community that people could return to every September.”

The fundraiser builds on Shekou’s previous work raising money for childhood cancer causes. She created Netting Miracles as a youth-led platform connecting racquet sports, community events and charitable causes.

In August, Shekou partnered with Marin philanthropist Melissa Prandi and the Melissa Prandi Children Foundation for a pickleball fundraiser that raised more than $8,000 for programs supporting Ugandan youth through education, nutrition, health care and mentoring.

Shekou said she hopes Netting Miracles will also give other young people a way to turn their interests and ideas into community fundraising efforts.