2018 Volunteer of the Year Award Finalist
Okizu
Hanson McClain Advisors
TD Ameritrade
When Pat Henry’s son, Nathan, was diagnosed with Leukemia, a counselor recommend his family attend a Family Camp program for support and to build a sense of community. Okizu provided Pat’s son with a space where he could feel like a child despite his cancer diagnosis. When Pat learned that the American Cancer Society could no longer fund the program, he became interested in taking on a leadership role at Okizu and joined the Board of Directors in 2015. Pat and his wife run an annual fundraiser for the organization, whose proceeds have increased substantially over the past three years. Thanks to Pat’s leadership role, the event had a 50% increase in guest attendance and raised more than $150,000 in one evening. Okizu’s mission is to provide peer support, respite, mentoring and recreational programs to meet the needs of all members of families affected by childhood cancer. Pat connects with this mission as he reaches out to families that need Okizu’s services and connects with parents in an inclusive, understanding way that only another cancer parent could.