Crownsville Man Raises $728K For Cancer Cures

From MWOY: Carl De Groote, of Cisco Systems, resident of Crownsville, MD, was named The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) National Man of the Year, raising more than $728,993 for cancer cures. De Groote ran a record-breaking fundraising campaign as part of LLS’s Man & Woman of the Year, a spirited philanthropic competition to raise the most money for cancer cures in a 10-week timeframe. This innovative fundraising campaign has raised more than $327 million in its 29-year history.

The Man & Woman of the Year candidates are compassionate and relentless in their desire to find cures for blood cancers and driven to reach their own personal fundraising best. Dedicated community leaders and their teams of supporters in cities across the country volunteered their time, skills, energy and passion to compete for the prestigious national title.

De Groote, a veteran of the IT industry, has worked with Cisco Systems for 16 years cultivating relationships with government agencies for positive impact. Carl’s decision to participate in this year’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign stemmed from his aspiration for mission-focused work. His groundbreaking campaign included a one-of-a-kind “Connect for a Cure Olympics” bringing together Cisco partners and competitors in the industry.

De Groote shared during his acceptance speech that he knew it would be a challenge but as his eldest daughter Ellie shared with him, “Raising money is easy, fighting cancer is hard.” He continued, “I am honored to be named the 2018 Man of the Year, through programs like Man & Woman of the Year, LLS has invested more than $1.2 billion in research to advance breakthrough therapies that are saving lives, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of that.”

On June 2, 2018, De Groote and his fellow candidates and LLS staff and volunteers attended a celebratory gala at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C.

“Congratulations to our winners, and to all of our candidates and campaign team members who participated in this year’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign,” said Beth Gorman, executive director, LLS’s National Capital Chapter. “Carl and his team have made the Maryland and DC community very proud, and together, they’re helping LLS create a world without blood cancer.”

Visit the Man & Woman of the Year website (www.mwoy.org) and learn how you can become engaged with LLS.

Images via MWOY