The Spierings Cancer Foundation is more than meets the eye. For many, it’s a symbol of hope, healing and inspiration.
Tens of thousands of individuals in the Fox Valley have felt the personal touch of the Spierings Cancer Foundation whether it be through receiving resources, benefitting from cutting-edge research or ringing the bell of hope after successful completion of treatment.
Many of those individuals call the Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital Cancer Center their medical home, just like Jim Spierings once did.
“I was diagnosed with stage four cancer almost 17 years ago, and I was treated at St. Elizabeth Hospital,” Jim said. “I was out of work for 11 months. During that time, the community really pulled together and helped us out in a lot of different ways. They did chores, cut the lawn, plowed snow, brought food to our house and even helped us financially.”
After Jim entered remission, he had a small gathering in a local establishment to celebrate the incredible feat and raised a few thousand dollars for those personally impacted by cancer.
Those few thousand dollars soon turned into a few million, plus the establishment of the Spierings Cancer Foundation and a staple summer event, Rock Cancer.
“I always tell people that the good Lord had a better idea, because our little party kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” Jim said. “We decided that we wanted the majority of our money going directly toward helping families along with supporting our local cancer centers.”
Since the inception of Rock Cancer, the Spierings Cancer Foundation has given more than $590,000 in support of the Ascension St. Elizabeth Cancer Center. Their most recent gift of $50,000 this fiscal year will help breast cancer patients track their symptoms and connect with their providers through a mobile app.
“We want to support our local communities and give back whenever possible, and the need for the mobile app really connected with us,” said Katie Dougherty, Executive Director of the Spierings Cancer Foundation. “Knowing that patients could have on-demand access to track their symptoms and have someone reply back to them in a timely manner is just great.”
A cancer diagnosis comes with many questions and emotions. Despite this, one thing is certain: with the generosity of local organizations like the Spierings Cancer Foundation, individuals and their families will have the support they need.
“The most important thing to us is that the money we raise goes right back into our own community,” Jim said. “The Spierings Cancer Foundation is for everybody, and we want to help as many people as possible in our local communities.”
Helping as many people as possible is exactly what the Spierings Cancer Foundation has done, especially for our patients at Ascension St. Elizabeth. We are incredibly moved by this generosity, and so thankful for this continued support. You are truly making a difference.
Visit spieringscancerfoundation.org to learn more about the Spierings Cancer Foundation.