MISSION PADDLE RAISE DONATION: Supporting General Cancer Research

Thank you for supporting our annual Taste of Hope Charlotte gala presented by Harris Teeter.

Let's end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

We are thrilled to lead the 2026 Taste of Hope Charlotte gala. Fighting cancer is a community effort and we need your help.

Cancer has impacted all of us in one way or another. Robyn and I have lost dear family members and friends over the years to cancer. In our twenties, Robyn lost her dad and I lost my oldest brother at way too early of an age.

Cancer has taught us the harsh realities of life, but at the same time has connected us with an amazing community all focused on one common goal-BEATING cancer. Each of our journeys is personal to us.

Collectively, we are a powerful force to make a difference. We have personally seen over the past 40 years amazing progress towards treatment and survivability of many cancers. ACS has led the way in this progress.

We ask you to join us in this endeavor to BEAT cancer. The journey is not done, but your help makes a huge impact in this collective effort.

At the young age of 13, I faced a life-altering diagnosis-bone cancer. Despite aggressive treatment, the cancer spread so quickly that my right arm had to be amputated to save my life. Today, I stand here not only as a survivor, but as an advocate for others walking similar paths.

That's why I proudly support the American Cancer Society's Taste of Hope Charlotte Gala -an evening dedicated to funding lifesaving research and supporting cancer patients, their families, and caregivers.

Please join me on October 3rd as the Mission Moment speaker and help support our efforts. Because without research, there are no cures. And without cures, there is no hope.

Let's be that hope-for today, for tomorrow, for the future.

I choose to make an impact on cancer which has not only affected loved ones in my life, but in the lives of so many people. Why? Because I want to fight for those battling cancer by giving of my time, energy, and efforts. Why? Because I understand the absolute necessity of supporting cancer research. Why? Because doing good fuels positivity. Why? Because I want to see MORE lives saved because of the advancements in cancer treatment.

Why? Because I can!

I was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor at 30 years old in 2025. I was treated successfully and am now cancer-free. I serve on the ACS Taste of Hope Charlotte gala Executive Leadership Committee so that I can contribute to others getting the care they need. I ask that you help us create more success stories.

When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, I was shocked. I couldn't fathom how someone so healthy could be diagnosed with cancer. From that moment, I realized cancer knows no bounds; it can impact anyone, regardless of their circumstances or precautions they may take. Through my life, cancer has impacted not only my dad, but 2 of my closest friends as well. Though cancer took both of my friends, I feel immensely fortunate to share that my dad is now a 25-year cancer survivor!

These experiences with my loved ones as well as how cancer has touched and/or affected so many people in my life, are why I became involved with the American Cancer Society. By serving on the Taste of Hope Charlotte Gala Board, I'm positioned to make a positive impact and help support others through their journeys by raising awareness and funds for ACS' mission. Together, let's make a difference!

I serve on the ACS Taste of Hope Charlotte gala board to honor my father's courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Every auction bid and sponsorship secured moves us closer to a world free of this dreadful disease. This event is more than just a fundraiser; it is also an active investment in pioneering research, critical patient services, and advocacy that transforms lives for a brighter future.

It's an honor to contribute to an initiative that offers assistance and moves us closer to a cure.

Cancer has shown up in my friends' lives. In my family. In conversations I never expected to have. In hospital rooms that feel too quiet.

Over the past few years, I have also had the privilege of driving patients to treatment through the ACS Road to Recovery Program. When you sit in a car with someone on their way to chemotherapy, the mission stops being a headline and becomes very real. You hear the fear. You hear the strength. You hear the hope. Sometimes you just sit in silence together.

That is why I am passionate about serving on the American Cancer Society Gala Board. It is no longer just volunteer leadership, it is personal. Every dollar raised helps fund research, transportation, lodging, and support programs that remove barriers for the people I have come to know and care about.

This is my third year on the Board, and my commitment is stronger than ever. I have seen what this organization does. I have seen how one event can fuel year-round impact. And I know the need is still great. Patients deserve better outcomes and access to care. I serve because no one should face cancer alone.

If you feel moved, I would be grateful for your support. Whether you give, attend, sponsor, or simply share this page, you are helping make a difference that reaches far beyond one evening.

Thank you for standing with me.

I am profoundly honored to participate in the 2026 Taste of Hope Charlotte Gala. To stand alongside such respected business leaders - individuals who choose not only to lead in their industries but also to lead in compassion - is both humbling and inspiring.

This cause is not abstract to me. It is deeply personal. I have seen fear, exhaustion, resilience, and the extraordinary strength it demands. Many of you know this reality too. Cancer does not discriminate. It touches nearly every family, every circle of friends, every community.

Cancer has taken countless members of my family and three dear friends.

I walked beside my sister as she courageously faced this relentless disease for the second time and have a wonderful update to share. My sister, Kim Vallone, courageously fought her second battle with stage 4 cancer and was reported cancer-free in May after her second harrowing round of chemotherapy and radiation, along with countless visits to the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center. This is a miracle and a testament to the incredible research being conducted and supported by the American Cancer Society to save those affected by this soul-crushing disease.

That is why this work matters.

This year, I joined the American Cancer Society Executive Leadership Team with one clear purpose: to turn personal loss into purposeful action. We are raising critical funds to advance research, expand patient support, and accelerate progress toward a cure. We have an opportunity - and a responsibility - to make 2026 our most impactful year yet.

But none of us can do this alone.

Real change happens when leaders step forward together. When influence becomes action. When generosity becomes momentum. There is power in numbers - and there is even greater power in shared resolve.

I invite you to stand with us. Join this remarkable community of leaders committed to making a measurable difference. Together, we can offer hope to families in the middle of their hardest days - and move closer to a future where this disease no longer defines so many lives.

Your support is not just appreciated. It is transformative.

Both my mother and father left this world too early due to cancer, so this fight is deeply personal. Serving on the Executive Leadership Committee for the ACS Taste of Hope Charlotte gala is my way of honoring them and helping change the future for other families. Research and compassionate care are only possible because people choose to act.

I invite you to join me through your support, your presence, or your gift in turning loss into hope and progress toward a world without cancer.

It's never just been about homes-it's about people. It's about the communities we build, the connections we nurture, and the support systems we rely on when life doesn't go as planned.

A strong community becomes the place we turn to when we need it most-the steady ground when everything else feels uncertain.

That's why this cause is so meaningful to me. Cancer has touched both my family and those I consider family within this community-people I love, respect, and care deeply about. But it's important to remember that not every story ends in tragedy. There is hope. There are people who care. And there is real progress being made every day.

Through the American Cancer Society, we are helping fuel that progress-supporting research, patients, and survivors. Because you can survive. You can have a story to tell. And you can go on to pour into others.

You can.

Why am I deeply involved with this Gala and this committed, caring team of leaders at ACS?

Cancer is mean and indiscriminate. It is the battle of and for your life. I, like all of my warrior brothers and sisters, was a survivor from the moment I was told I had cancer. I did the grueling journey (surgery, wicked chemo, and tough radiation) to get to "no evidence of disease" and ring that bell. Through it all, I knew I had dedicated, caring, and talented doctors, nurses, researchers, supporters, and family (who were petrified, but always there) on my team.

We work on this Gala for all survivors and families who travel that terrifying road. We work for all doctors, nurses and researchers battling for the day when cancer is just a memory. Cancer doesn't wait. Neither can we.

I joined the American Cancer Society because cancer has deeply impacted my family. My father is fighting his third battle, and others we've loved weren't as fortunate. I want to be a voice for those facing a diagnosis and a source of support for their families. Everyone deserves access to resources, to be informed, and to be encouraged to get screened.

Our health should never be a taboo topic - it should be a priority.

We lost my mom to gallbladder cancer in April 2017 at just 65 years old. In the aftermath of her diagnosis and passing, the feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. Rather than sit idle, I turned my grief into action by volunteering with the American Cancer Society. I began with the Road to Recovery program, driving patients to and from their cancer treatments, which eventually led me to serve on the Executive Leadership Committee for the Taste of Hope Charlotte.

This fundraising gala and its mission are deeply personal to me. I want to help fund lifesaving research so fewer families have to experience the heartbreaking loss of a loved one far too soon.

"Early in my career, I watched a beloved teammate lose their child to cancer. I'll never forget how the American Cancer Society showed up for that family, especially through the Hope Lodge program. I am honored to support their mission to end cancer for all through Taste of Hope Charlotte."

"I am honored to join the American Cancer Society's executive leadership board as cancer has touched my family in deeply personal ways. I lost my maternal grandmother to colon cancer, and I later lost an auntie to colorectal cancer; two women I loved dearly and whose absence I still feel. The memories, smiles, laughter and love lost are part of why I show up to this work with more than my skills and experience; I bring my time, my heart, and my love, and I allow that be the driving force behind this commitment. While I'm encouraged by the research and progress being made against this devastating disease, I'm in awe of the strength, resiliency, and fighting spirit in so many people facing it. So much so that I want to be part of encouraging that fight and reminding them they are not alone.
This board gives me the opportunity to turn personal loss into purposeful action and to help make a difference for someone else's family, so that hopefully fewer people have to carry the kind of grief mine has known."