NFL Player Charles Leno Supports Christmas Without Cancer With Grant

EVERGREEN PARK, IL – Christmas Without Cancer, the South Side organization that provides gifts and everyday necessities for Chicago-area families impacted by cancer, has been chosen as a recipient of a Leno Claus Beyond The Entertainer grant.

Beyond the Entertainer was founded in 2020 by former Chicago Bear and current offensive tackle for the Washington Commanders, Charles Leno, Jr., and his wife, Jennifer. Leno Claus counts down the days until Christmas from Dec. 1 through Dec. 20 by partnering with 20 organizations and five families or individuals across the country to help spread awareness and bring holiday cheer by donating gifts, monetary donations, and more, to make the season especially bright.

Hundreds of organizations are nominated each year to be a recipient of Leno Claus. Christmas Without Cancer was nominated by supporter Jennifer Clancy, whose own family was impacted by the devastation of cancer after her father was diagnosed with cancer in March 2018.

With the help of the generosity of Leno Claus, Christmas Without Cancer will be creating their annual Gift Card wreaths, which will be distributed to 18 families across the city and southwest suburbs, who are currently battling cancer. Wreaths are adorned with $500 in gift cards to local stores for groceries, gas, home improvement, household items, and more. Chosen families also receive a financial donation from Christmas Without Cancer.

“Christmas Without Cancer is so honored to be chosen as a recipient of this year’s Leno Claus, and we thank the Leno family for their generosity, and of course, Jen Clancy for nominating our organization,” the organization's vice president Renee Copeland said in a news release. “Although the name of our organization says ‘Christmas’, we work throughout the year to help ease the burden of families who are in the grueling battle of cancer. It is through the help of Beyond the Entertainer and Leno Claus that we are able to provide additional support this holiday season.”

Christmas Without Cancer will be the featured charity on Beyond the Entertainer’s Twitter page on Friday, Dec. 2. Follow Beyond the Entertainer on Twitter at @BeyondThe72.

In addition to Gift Card Wreaths, Christmas Without Cancer supporters will also be putting together items for more than 200 “Cancer Care Bags” this week, which are distributed to local oncology departments for patients hospitalized or in treatment. Bags include crossword puzzles, lip balm, socks, hand sanitizer, moisturizer, and more for extra pampering – all of which is generously donated by Christmas Without Cancer supporters.

For nearly two decades, Christmas Without Cancer has aided thousands of people across the Chicagoland area by adopting multiple families who are going through the devastation of cancer, and supplying them with gift cards for groceries, medications, gas, and other “need” items, as well as help with mortgage payments, rent, tuition, daycare, and travel related expenses for treatment.

For more information on Christmas Without Cancer, or to get involved, please visit christmaswithoutcancer.org.