HOPE and science of epigenetics
Marissa McKinnies & Leilani Davis (McKinnies), our Founder and Co-Founder’s Cancer story began many generations ago. Beginning with the paternal grandmother, aunts, and female cousins diagnosed with breast, ovarian, thyroid, and colon cancer. Leilani, our co-founder, discovered she had ovarian cancer at the tender age of 30. After watching her suffer for ½ a decade, Marissa decided to show support through learning ways to inspire HOPE. After all, the science of epigenetics proposed that your genes are greatly influences by your disposition, good or bad. In essence, feeding your soul with purpose and HOPE can heal the emptiness, the fear, and the spirit of defeat experienced by those suffering cancer. In a dream, Marissa was given the vision of Putt Away Cancer. The premises of our organization is simple, we support HOPE through giving. Why? Because cancer warriors battle confusion and tough decisions of how to pay for things needed outside of medical bills because insurance doesn’t always cover everything. And no one can really prepare for the possibility of a cancer diagnosis or any other catastrophic illness. So to honor Leilani’s battle, Marissa conceived the Putt Away Cancer Foundation which takes a community approach to bring awareness to the many spiritual and emotional struggles Cancer Warriors battle, not just the medical diagnosis itself. While supporting research is necessary, the Putt Away Cancer Foundation is about the individual warriors and not about research. All our fundraisers go to those that are being impacted. The Circle of HOPE Award is a financial donation for Cancer Warriors to use at their own discretion and the Linda C. Bryant HOPE Scholarship is a onetime book scholarship for Texas high school seniors going to college. Fundraiser events and donations provide for the donations that are granted. We are a family organization and host family events, because Cancer is bigger than one person. The smile on Leilani’s face and her determination to live with stage 4 cancer on purpose to inspire shows the power of HOPE. Visit our website: www.puttawaycancer.com for more information.
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tunes without the words, and never stops at all.” —Emily Dickinson