Imerman Angels is a cancer support nonprofit organization that creates personalized connections between cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers. We at Imerman Angels are only able to achieve our mission because we have so many dedicated individuals who support us by donating, volunteering, spreading awareness and much more!

For one day each year, people from all over the world come together in support of charities and causes they are passionate about. That day this year is May 4, so in honor of World Give Day we challenge you to take these simple steps to help an organization or a cause you care about.

1. Write or blog about a charity you love to inform your friends and followers about it too.
2. Follow nonprofit organizations on your social media pages.
3. Volunteer for a fun charitable event with friends and family.
4. Organize an online or third party event in benefit of a local nonprofit organization.
5. Check an online nonprofit calendar and attend one of their benefit events with your friends.
6. Participate in a run or walk to support a cause.
7. Donate to a local charity with a mission you support.

These are just a few of the many ways you can support a nonprofit organization in your community. Each donation, no matter how small, contributes greatly to the success of an organization. For more ideas on how you can support an organization visit www.imermanangels.org/support-us.php.

This article is part of a series organized by GiveForward. To learn more, visit their website at www.giveforward.com.

Did you know that one of the most important missions in the cancer community today is to spread awareness about cancer symptoms to promote early diagnosis? Early detection means early treatment and greater chances of early success. This is why Mayor Daley has declared that Tuesday, April 12, 2011 is Chicago Blood Cancer Foundation Day and Blood Cancer Awareness Day in Chicago. The goal is to have citizens of Chicago be actively aware of Lymphoma, Leukemia and Myeloma and the efforts to fight them. Even though blood cancers are some of the most common, and most deadly, they seem to be overshadowed and under-studied.

The greatest tool against cancer is awareness and the  best way to be aware is to be educated about cancer signs and symptoms. The following article from Scott Seaman, a writer for the Chicago Cancer Examiner, is a great way to learn about some common signs and symptoms, as well as learn a little more about what blood cancer really is. Check it out!

Bat for the Cure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was created to raise awareness about prostate cancer and to educate the public about prevention, detection and treatment. With early detection prostate cancer is 97% curable, but there is not enough awareness to encourage effective prevention. Fans for the Cure was created by Ed Randall, after he went into remission from prostate cancer at the age of 47, and later expanded into the baseball affiliate Bat for the Cure.

Ed is a radio and TV broadcaster for minor league baseball, as well as a cancer survivor. He has taken his cause to the minor league ballparks, with 2011 being his fifth consecutive season of prostate cancer advocacy nationwide. Since the beginning of Bat for the Cure, Ed’s team has been welcomed into more than 500 minor league ballparks.

In 2009 Bat for the Cure joined Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the ALS Foundation and Special Olympics as an Official Charitable Partner of Minor League Baseball. This campaign is the most expansive health care initiative in the history of the minor league.

Minor League Ballparks nationwide have awareness days where they rely on local volunteers to supervise information tables and pass out fliers to fans. The program is especially interested in finding prostate cancer survivors to volunteer in order to provide the best insight into the organization’s message.

Come out and support Bat for the Cure to help give a new meaning to the term “save” in baseball! For more information about the organization and to volunteer visit www.fansforthecure.org.

“Just working and pushing myself towards this goal had changed me in ways I couldn’t believe; I never got the chance to thank [Cindy] for that. This whole experience has changed my outlook on life and taught me to really appreciate it. I now strive to use all my time here to further or better the lives of others. I am also more sympathetic to people around me and have learned to open my eyes: everyone around me has some kind of story and some kind of struggle. Now that I see this I can better relate and open up to them. It’s really hard to describe how much Cindy taught me, though I hadn’t ever met her before.”

Helen Slivinski, a Sophomore at South Lakes High School, began her International Baccalaureate (IB) program service project knowing that she wanted it to benefit a good cause, and that she would incorporate her passion for performing arts. Helen’s projects to raise money and awareness include long term t-shirt and pin sales and culminate in a performing arts benefit show on March 20th.  The campaign is branded “Think Love,” a theme and design created by Helen for the project.

Helen’s dance teacher, also her sponsor for the project, told her about a friend of a friend, Cindy Martin, who was struggling to pay for her cancer treatment. Cindy worked as a hairdresser in Helen’s community, and was known to be a friend to everyone she met. Cindy had no health insurance, so when she was diagnosed with brain cancer in August of 2010, she had no idea how she would pay for treatment. By the time Helen found Cindy, she was battling the remaining 10% of her malignant tumor, as well as a wave of overwhelming medical bills. With her sponsor’s guidance, Helen decided that the proceeds from the fundraiser would be used to offset Cindy’s treatment costs.

“Everyone at the fundraiser had some strange connection to the both of us and affected our lives indirectly. It was so strange: I don’t think I could describe it in words except to just call it fate. “

As preparations were being made for the benefit show, they received horrible news. On February 23rd, Ms. Martin passed away. She caught pneumonia, and her immune system was too weak to handle the disease and the treatment.

“It was devastating to find out that all my work was unnecessary. I was too late to help her. I didn’t even have a chance to meet her.”

According to the family’s wishes, the total raised after the benefit show will be split evenly between Imerman Angels and the National Brain Tumor Society. Helen’s hope for the show is to raise awareness and create a sense of closure for Cindy’s friends and family. Imerman Angels is lucky to have supporters like Helen. The thoughtfulness and effort invested in this project is truly inspiring. The “Think Love” benefit show, upcoming on March 20th, will include performances by students and local professionals. If you live in or around Washington DC, we strongly encourage you to attend! The show will take place at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Dr, Reston, VA 20191).