Covid Hasn't Stopped Cancer
Covid 19 has essentially stopped the world as we know it. However, one thing it hasn't stopped is cancer. While life as we know it has changed because of the pandemic, there are still millions of people out there battling cancer every day, and they need our help now more than ever.
The Background Story
A few weeks ago I received a call letting me know that I had been nominated as a Man of The Year candidate by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Surely, this was a joke. It was not. Given the current state of the world, I had to think about things. I was and am honored to be considered, but if I'm going to do something, I want to make sure that I'm able to put the time and effort into it that it deserves. This was more than an opportunity to become The LLS Man of The Year, it was also an ask to help out others in need. I couldn't say no. My mother raised me to help out other people whenever I can. And since it's a competition, I'm in it to win it. However, this is not about me. This is all about BEATING CANCER. Throughout the next 6 weeks I will be doing everything I can to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
I always shied away from participating in fundraisers. Growing up on the lower-end of a middle class family and having spent some of my young adult life living out of a car and sleeping in parks or beaches, just the thought of asking people for money has always made me incredibly uncomfortable. So I knew this would be a challenge for me. I had to overcome that obstacle in my life and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
The Original Plan
Like many situations I've faced in life, I figured I'd be able to creatively compensate for my reservations in asking others for donations. The idea was simple. Why not create a competition? I've been a part of the ad industry for over a decade now, and I've seen first-hand how much emphasis agencies put on winning awards that are nothing more than a self-fulfilling ego boost. There's so much talent and creativity in this industry that I'd love to showcase to this new fundraising world I got brought into. I also wanted to see what ideas they would have that could help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
This competition would allow different ad agencies and creatives to develop their own cancer-fundraising campaign, and at the very least it would a serve as an opportunity to engage their interns in a fun, real-world campaign. The winner would get bragging rights and a kick-ass trophy, but more importantly every team's effort would be making a positive impact in the world of cancer research. I did some initial research, ran the idea by a few folks in the industry and everyone was all about. Since the LLS deals with blood cancers, the contest was set to be titled 'The Bloodsport'.
Inspired by the 1988 cult-classic Bloodsport, each agency would be entering 'The Kumite' for a chance to win a custom trophy I'm having made created from the scene below. I had acquired the url, built a website (my 2nd ever so go easy) and we were ready to go.
The Rub
Then Covid_19 hit, and it felt like I was speaking onto deaf ears or reaching out to ghosts. The thing I feared most was started happening immediately. My relationships, which I value very highly, started to feel paper thin. I had companies and friends back out, because now wasn't a good time for people to donate. Some people just went off the map completely and I haven't heard from since reaching out. I was frustrated. I was disappointed. I also understood. My own agency and every one of our clients have been affected by the pandemic. What people might not realize is that cancer patients are those high-risk people the media always talks, too. They are more likely to have serious complications should they contract Covid. Additionally, it's worth noting that some of the discoveries in cancer research, such as the IL-6-blocking drug Sarilumab are now being tested to treat Covid.
The Pivot
So now it's back to the old-fashioned way of fundraiser. Reaching out to as many people as possible. There's no creative way around it at this point as the goal still remains the same, to raise as much money for the LLS as possible. Now I'll be reaching out to as many people I can directly, while also creating content that focuses on the cancer patients and using my abilities to blast that out on social media platforms.
How You Can Help?
If you're interested in making a difference there are two ways you can do that.
1. Donate - Honestly, anything helps. There are more incentives and tex-breaks from the government than ever before.
2. Spread The Word - If you can't donate at this time, please at least share the message and the link for others to donate. That costs you no money and takes only a few seconds of your time.
There is a large enough network here of friends, classmates and wonderful people where we should be able to break the goal of $25,000. I will be matching all donations up to a total of $5,000. Anyone who is interested in matching that number will become a sponsor. Send me a message if interested, and I'll share all of the benefits associated with being a sponsor.
Anything you can donate is appreciated. $5 or $10 when multiplied by 100's if not 1000's of people will add up very quickly.
I want to thank you from the bottom to the top of my heart for your support. Our efforts will help fund therapies and treatments that have quadrupled the survival rate for some blood cancers. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible.
To learn more about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, visit https://www.lls.org/