Donor Spotlight: Steve Schwartz
Making an Impact: The Better Together Benefit with Steve Schwartz
Written by Dymond Redd, Marketing & Communication Associate at the Cancer Wellness Center
Almost five years ago, Steve Schwartz first heard of the Cancer Wellness Center when his family needed to utilize its programs and services. Although the Center came highly recommended, Steve, a local Deerfield resident, says he had not heard of it before then. The impact, however, was immediately felt.
“I think that the Cancer Wellness Center can do a variety of things. [It is] a place where you can talk to people who have gone through it or are going through it; from the counseling to the nutrition; just anything that you might need beyond the physical treatment that you are also going through.”
Steve’s experience with CWC programs and services, staff, and community are the reasons he chose to get involved. He found that CWC had a unique approach, addressing the mental health dynamics was just as important as treating the physical symptoms of cancer. Since then, Steve has been actively involved as a Board Member, and most recently, the Event Chair of the Better Together Benefit.
Knowing how vital these events are to support the Cancer Wellness Center, Steve had great goals as the Event Chair. The diligent work that Steve and the Benefit committee members completed over the past few months was to create a memorable evening for the CWC community and to maximize fundraising efforts to support the Center’s mission.
“The Benefit is there to continue to provide the largest source of funding for the Center. We cannot expand our reach or programs, unless we have the funds to service the area,” explains Steve. “We will need professionals, we will need space, and we will need other things. It is important to continue doing the work we do.”
The Benefit was hosted last month at Chevy Chase Country Club and featured many fan-favorites, including raffle prizes, and live and silent auctions. New this year, was the presentation of CWC Impact Awards along with the inaugural recipients, Dr. Bruce Brockstein and Dr. Dean Tsarwhas.
The Benefit Committee felt that it was important to recognize those in the community who have made an impact in our work. “We had a lot of doctors and guests there to support the honorees,” says Steve, “and I think it’s important to show our partners that we value what they do and solidify the relationships.”
The honoree’s presence, as well as securing amazing auction items, a professional auctioneer, and expanding the number of corporate sponsorships, truly set the tone of the night. Steve says this event was an easy one to chair because of the dedication, passion, and willingness “to get out there and do what needs to be done” that was shown by the Benefit Committee and staff are what made this event so successful.
That is the important work that Steve says we must continue.
“It would be nice if people knew about the Center earlier because maybe it would help from a fundraising standpoint if people understand the important work. Like most people, I only found out about the Center unfortunately when we had a cancer situation in the family. I would love for us to be better known out there as a place that is doing important work.”
Steve and his family found the Center to be a comforting, safe place with unique services that you cannot find anywhere else, and he wants to ensure that anyone who needs these services can experience that too. Thanks to your support at events like the Better Together Benefit, the Cancer Wellness Center can continue doing the important work.
