Middleburg: As Florida-based the International Polo Tour® (IPT) charges into 2026 following the announcement of a new powerful partnership with the Royal Thai Embassy and His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, long-time partner We Will Survive Cancer (WWSC) is embracing Thailand’s community through the expansion of humanitarian efforts across the region, strengthening a bond that will culminate in next year’s annual Sunset Polo™ in Virginia.
Earlier this year, WWSC, a 501(c)3 charitable organization devoted to supporting and uplifting families who have been devastated financially and emotionally by cancer diagnoses, traveled to Thailand for a three-prong mission arranged by Parichat “Katie” Graley (the organization’s liaison to the Thailand Embassy, Miss Universe Thailand, and the upcoming 2026 Polo World Cup Invitational). The journey began in the city of Mueang Chiang Rai, where Founder Gayela Bynum and Co-Founder Dr. Lisa Spoden viewed the Baan Wiang Sa School caring for children who have been abandoned by their families. Noting the dilapidated, dangerous state of the children’s school yard playground, WWSC gifted a donation to the school for not only new equipment, but also to treat the class of children to a day of fun and food.
“In our work, we often meet children who are struggling at home due to their family situations, and it never fails to break our hearts,” said Bynum. “However, thanks to the resources we have amassed with support from IPT as well as other partners, we were able to provide much-needed safety and enrichment to these children, who will no longer be at risk of injury from broken equipment. Seeing their smiles truly warmed our hearts.”
WWSC’s work in the city was not done yet- following the school, the organization donated money to one of Thailand’s elephant sanctuaries, providing funds previously raised during a 2024 ‘save the elephants’ initiative. In September 2024, Typhoon Yagi destroyed the elephant sanctuary resulting in the deaths of two baby elephants. We Will Survive Cancer and members of the Thai community held a fundraiser to raise funds for restoration of food and medicine. The reserve, eager to assist in WWSC’s efforts, connected the team with the Nakornping Hospital in the city, which specializes in a variety of care including for cancer patients.
“Our primary goal since our founding has been to help those fighting for their lives against cancer, one of the cruelest illnesses upending lives globally,” added Bynum. “We met with the hospital’s staff and discovered that the facility was in great need of additional diagnostic machines as well as other goods for patient care. We’ve not only donated funds to ensure immediate aid, but have also established new international connections to support the shipment of supplies overseas, with talks in motion to develop transportation alternatives for those who do not have access to cars or buses to get to and from the hospital.”
The efforts, generating attention across Thailand, helped open the door for the International Polo Tour’s visit to the country, with Chairman and Team Captain Tareq Salahi alongside Bynum and Spoden meeting last month with Ambassador Chindawongse and national icons including Miss Universe Thailand to confirm plans to welcome the Ambassador to the 2026 International Polo Tour Invitational with a symbolic “Thumbs Up for Unity” moment, spotlighting international friendship and cultural exchange.
“We are incredibly excited to see what 2026 has in store for us,” said Dr. Lisa Spoden. “We are proud to have the IPT as one of our closest allies, and for more than a decade they have stood by our side. Each year’s Sunset Polo™ is a testament to our long-lasting friendship, and we could not be more thankful.”
Virginia’s 2026 Sunset Polo™ will feature the return of IPT Team USA™ to the arena, alongside new contributions from NFL Alumni partners. It will also see the return of NFL Super Bowl legends Tim Johnson and Josh Norman ( finalist in ABC’s hit television show Dancing with the Stars) as well as the debut of additional celebrity star athletes. The event will also mark the 13th anniversary of IPT’s partnership with WWSC and the second annual International Polo Tour Crypto Cup™, powered by Web3 and digital asset platform FAIM.WORLD- underscoring IPT’s commitment to both innovation and philanthropy.
