PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A Jacksonville nurse is making a difference both inside the hospital where she works and in her own time.
Sara Burk saves lives inside Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside Hospital as an operating room nurse.
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But when she’s off the clock, Burk also makes a difference in people’s lives in part by hosting the 904 Redfish Tournaments in Ponte Vedra Beach. She raises money for good causes each time.
“I love to fish,” Burk said. “It has been a big passion of mine since I was really little.”
The most recent one happened in October.
During that tournament, Burk raised about $30,000 to donate to a 10-year-old girl named Gianna.
Gianna, who lives in the Jacksonville area, was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer. She is in remission now, but during her treatment she had to have her right leg amputated.
“She is a really strong little girl,” Burk said of Gianna. “From what I’ve seen and when I’ve gotten to talk to her and meet her, I don’t know how she does it. I don’t know how her family does it. They are amazing people. But she really has put a smile on her face and battled it. It is amazing to see.”
Burk and Gianna’s family say all the proceeds can be used to help pay for rehab as Gianna is learning how to walk again with a prosthetic leg, and to contribute to buying some Christmas presents this year.
“Thank you to all of my friends and family who have supported me with the tournament to help me put the whole thing on in order to help Gianna and her family,” Burk said. “It means a lot. I could not do it without all of my people supporting me and backing me. Thanks to them.”
Whether it is in scrubs at a hospital or in her leisure time, Burk says she wants to lend a helping hand anyway she can to anyone she can.
“I really enjoy doing it,” Burk said." I love it. It is amazing to do something to give back to people you know, the community in general."
October’s redfish tournament was the second fishing tournament Burk hosted.
Last year, she did the same thing and raised money that she donated to the American Heart Association.
“A bunch of my family members, my parents, my siblings have heart problems,” Burk said. “That really weighed a lot on me.”
Burk is already in the planning stages for next year’s 904 Redfish Tournament in September 2026.
Her goal is to raise money for “V for Victory,” which is a local charity that provides essential services for families who are experiencing cancer battles with people of any age and any type of cancer.