I have so many great causes that I want to share that you can give to on this #GivingTuesday so I decided to make a post with all the links right here for you to make it super simple to give.
Please remember that EVERY SINGLE DAY is a day to give! If you are reading this and Giving Tuesday has passed, you can still donate to these causes.
Summer Heath passed away at the end of October after a long battle with Ocular Melanoma at the young age of 27. Summer was in my program in college and was such a bright, positive person. The weight her family now holds with all of the medical bills and funeral costs are unimaginable. Please consider donating.
To make this even more tragic, Summer was a part of a cluster of OM cases in Huntersville, NC that is unexplained to this day. Summer was a huge advocate for her community in trying to find a cause for why so many young, healthy women were dying from OM, an extremely rare cancer that usually effects older men.
You can read more about the mystery in this article. You can also read Summer’s blog that explains her personal experiences with OM. And lastly, you can follow this Facebook page to stay up to date on how you can help find what is causing this rare cancer that has taken so many lives, including sweet Summer’s.
This whole situation has been heavy on my heart for about 4 years now since I met Summer and became friends with her on Facebook and learned of the cluster. I myself had melanoma in 2007, so when I saw her posts, it got my attention. I have followed Summer’s story ever since, inspired by her positivity and strength and angered by the fact that they can’t figure out what’s causing this. When I learned of Summer’s passing, I balled my eyes out. It has weighed heavily on me for the last month. There are just some things that we will never understand. And this is one of them.
Last week, Katie Melson died unexpectedly in a tragic farming accident. Katie leaves behind a loving husband, Jimmy, and a precious 3 month old son, Van. Jimmy has asked for donations so that his son can have a bright future where finances will not stand in his way. I know this family personally, and I know the pain they are feeling right now. Money will never replace Katie, but it will ensure that her son will have the opportunities that she would want him to have.
My sister-in-law works as the Assistant Director for this summer camp in Black Mountain, NC. Some generous donors have offered to match all donations given on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, up to a total of $750,000!
My cousin founded this nonprofit with a friend of hers. Read and Right is an approved 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization aiming to promote racial equality and opportunity within the education system by providing necessary resources for children to accept and respect all races. As of now, Read and Right’s efforts are centered around PK-3rd grades in the Atlanta Public School System. Your donation would go directly to helping these efforts!
Myles Berrio is a local of Greenville and was tragically hit by a drunk driver head on and lost one of his legs, among many other injuries. He and his wife have a young baby and any support for them would be for the many, many medical bills they are accumulating, in addition to other expenses.