Like so many, cancer has profoundly affected both my family and friends. It's a diagnosis that no one wants to receive - one full of uncertainty, anxiety, and grief. In addition to working with our dedicated group of volunteers on the Charlotte Chapter of the GenNow Network, my career is also spent working to mitigate (maybe even eliminate!) the effects of the disease. I work at a large pharmaceutical company in research and development, where I've helped to establish their CAR-T cell engineering clinical research program and to deliver a new therapy for patients with multiple myeloma. I've been a part of the relentless pursuit for new options, filled with colleagues who are obsessed with building a better tomorrow for patients who are waiting. While I feel strongly that research is a critical key to a brighter future, I've also seen other needs during my travels to hospitals around our country - a need for support and advocacy.

Cancer sucks. It can make you feel alone. It can wreck support systems and throw the logistics of everyday life out of balance. It can weaken even the strongest.

But there are people helping. I've witnessed first-hand how organizations like the American Cancer Society can fundamentally change someone's life. How they can bring light through darkness and hope out of despair. They can be the first phone call for someone newly diagnosed who needs a connection to resources. They can be the last person to say "you've got this" as they drop someone off for a treatment.

I hope you never need to call on the American Cancer Society for help. But if you do, it's important to me that they're there to answer. If this feels important to you, too, please join me by giving your support. Every dollar counts. Let's make an impact together - right here in the Carolinas.