Following the death of their six-month-old son, Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell and his longtime girlfriend Michelle Larocque have started a leukemia research foundation in his memory. On July 26th, the couple's only child, Presley Scott, was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia, a condition marked by a deficiency of normal white blood cells, which took his life two days later. Harwell and Larocque recently completed the necessary paperwork to make the foundation official.

Harwell has only positive things to say about his son's treatment during his hospitalization, but he learned that there were pieces of equipment that the hospital couldn't afford that were usually rented -- equipment that could benefit other children with a similar affliction. "The cure rate is really high, actually," he says. "They have to do very aggressive treatment. In Presley's case, just as they were ready to do the chemo, he got sick again. To do the treatment, you have to get them better first."

Money raised by the Presley Scott Research Foundation for Leukemia will be benefit leukemia research and help provide hospitals with new equipment and other materials for children's care centers, including books and playrooms.

"We went through a lot real quick, and I learned a lot about this disease," Harwell says. "I met a lot of wonderful people in a really short period of time, families dealing with sick kids. It's a really close-knit family when it comes to these kids being sick; everybody pulls for each other and the doctors were wonderful. I figured, in my position, it's a little easier for me to get [the foundation] going. It's one of the new agendas in my plan of life now. I'm not going to sit around and go, 'Screw it. My son didn't make it.'"

Harwell says the foundation will organize benefit events, including a festival concert. "Being in the music business and having some of these friends, I know I have everybody's support when we're going to need it. It was so neat to see people that have just come out of the woodwork. And a lot of times I've gotten awesome letters from families that have lost kids. It's really helped Michelle and I get something positive out of this thing. You have your ups and downs, but every day gets a little better."

More information on the foundation will soon be available on the Smash Mouth Web site, www.smashmouth.com. Donations can be sent to the Presley Scott Research Foundation for Leukemia, 1525 South Winchester Boulevard, San Jose, CA 95128.

ANDREW DANSBY
(September 20, 2001)