A Promise of Hope with Ty Eschenbaum

Ty Eschenbaum, a Lake Preston, South Dakota native, has felt the powerful impact hope can have on one’s life. After narrowly surviving a battle with cancer as a teenager, Ty was motivated to recognize others who lost some of their formative years to cancer. In 2011, at just 23 years old, he established the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation, a nonprofit offering scholarships to graduating seniors in South Dakota who beat cancer. Since that time, his Foundation has granted over $313,000 toward Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana, missionary work and scholarships.

Ty joined South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) Community Development Coordinator & Marketing Manager, Jamie Farmen, for a conversation on his life and the impact he hopes to have on others.

Diagnosed at 15, Ty spent much of his high school career in hospitals. During his senior year, however, Ty received the news that his cancer was in remission, and with that came a new sense of hope. Five years later he was pronounced cancer-free and is still so today.

Feeling deeply grateful to be here and be cancer-free, Ty wanted to create a sense of hope for fellow childhood cancer survivors; through this wish, the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation was born. With the help of the South Dakota Community Foundation, family, and friends, Ty was able to give out two $250 scholarships to cancer survivors graduating from his hometown high school in 2011.

Since the foundation’s start as a permanent endowment, The Ty Eschenbaum Foundation has gone on to offer nearly $63,000 in scholarships to cancer survivors. Ty hopes to someday provide a scholarship to every single cancer survivor across the state of South Dakota. When asked about partnering with the South Dakota Community Foundation, Ty shared.

“My philanthropic interests really began with my diagnosis. The thought process of helping families just like mine, knowing all they go through began right in high school,” shared Ty, “Once I was in remission, figuring out a 501c3 and finding a board of directors…it was a lot to figure out for a young person. Then I heard about the community foundation, and it was really a no-brainer to partner with you all.”

These scholarships not only serve as a sense of relief and hope for graduates but serve as a symbol that Ty acknowledges the struggle they have been through. He hopes to serve as an example of hope after remission. He is enthusiastic about giving back and is proud to partner with SDCF in many ways; not just through his own foundation, but by serving on the boards of various other organizations and supporting charitable causes personally.

“You know we could talk about the how, and the why, and the details, but at the end of the day its people–it’s all people just trying to make South Dakota a better place,” shared Ty.

Since its inception, Ty hoped to grow the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation to have an even greater impact. Sadly, tragedy struck in 2019 when Ty experienced the sudden loss of the love of his life, Autumn from a blood clot. This spurred the foundation to evolve and begin supporting Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana kids in her memory, as children were her passion.

“I am proud to support Make-a-Wish in Autumn’s honor. You know I was a Make-a-Wish kid, and my Make-a-Wish experience was so positive for my whole family,” said Ty, “and Autumn-she loved kids and was amazing with them. So, these wish kids we get to support–they are Autumn’s wish kids.” shared Ty.

Ty's younger brother, Calder, also passed tragically in 2021. This is when the third pillar of the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation was established–supporting missionary causes in honor of his brother’s strong faith and inspiring work ethic.

“Everything that we’ve done with the foundation, we haven’t rushed. We’ve prayed about it and let it resonate, and the right thing just clicks,” said Ty, “And so we wanted to honor my brother, and his faith was so obvious and strong. So, our third pillar has been to support missionary work in my brother’s honor, and we have connected with some amazing individuals and organizations.”

Ty is honored to be able to remember the best parts of the people he loves. He hopes that his work through the foundation can have even a fraction of the impact that Autumn, his brother, and the children he met during his fight with cancer who were less fortunate than he would have had on this world.

As the conversation ended, Ty shared this closing promise of hope, “We are ready to be a conduit for everybody–I think if we haven’t helped someone in your community yet, we sure plan to in the future.”