Kerry:
For the past three years, I’ve been involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) drive to raise money for research and patient support. At Boundless, we’re passionate about supporting the cancer community and a lot of our work has been aimed at making a difference for patients and their families. I truly want to set the example that our work in oncology goes beyond drug promotion. That’s why I dedicate a good bit of my time to LLS.
The ask from LLS is simple: Identify candidates who can assemble a team to connect with individuals and corporations and push for donations. It’s a numbers game, pure and simple. This year, the Central Texas chapter raised more than $657,000 over a 10-week fundraiser.
The biggest hurdle in getting the program off the ground starts with me and getting out of my comfort zone to make the initial ask. For some reason, reaching out to friends and colleagues about charitable donations can be nerve-racking. What I’ve learned though is that I’m not really asking for anything. I’m actually giving them an opportunity to get involved in something truly meaningful. Being part of LLS has shown me that there are many individuals who would love to be involved, but they don’t know how. They’ve never been asked. When my good friend Yash stepped up to participate, I was pleasantly surprised. I had no idea that his family had a personal story with cancer. Turns out, he was thankful I broke through my fear and reached out.
Yash:
When Kerry approached me to have a conversation about LLS, I think neither of us realized how personal this was. He mentioned the LLS Visionaries of the Year campaign and that he would like to nominate me, not expecting me to say yes. We are all often unaware of the cancer journeys our friends and peers have gone through, and how many of us just want a way to get involved but don’t know how.
In 2017, my family had an unexpected cancer diagnosis that started us on a year-long combination of doctor’s appointments, surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. We leaned on our network of support, and they helped carry us through that tumultuous year. Over the course of that year, we encountered many patients and their families who lacked the support we had. We discovered some patients had rented trailers near the medical facility because they couldn’t afford a hotel. We were taken aback by the huge out-of-pocket costs for some of the treatments, unable to imagine what we would have done if they had been financially out of reach for us.
I had heard that LLS provides extensive financial help, such as co-pay assistance, for patients and families and was amazed that an organization like this was making such a direct impact on outcomes. While navigating the many critical medical decisions of cancer diagnosis and treatment, we had a large network of families and friends in the medical field who could give us advice. Many patients we met had no such family support and were unaware of their options. I was astonished at how much LLS has done for patients, and not just in providing passive resources but working to empower patients to make informed decisions about their care.
After what I had gone through with my family, it didn’t take a second for me to say yes when Kerry asked me to get involved in supporting LLS. I wanted to give back and had an incredibly rewarding experience reaching out to my network, who generously donated, and seeing what kind of impact a group of like-minded people could make for this year’s campaign. But I still want to do more, continuing to stay involved and giving back in the long term.
Kerry and Yash:
Has cancer affected your life? Would you like to make a meaningful contribution to supporting others affected by the disease? Consider this our official ask. Your story is unique and could make a huge impact on raising funds for the next cure or helping the next patient who doesn’t know where to turn. LLS is an amazing organization that’s making a difference. Be part of it. Reach out to us and let’s connect.
Kerry.Hilton@BoundlessLife.com
