Kindness in Real Life: Davis keeps Sails Up in cancer fight

Bob Davis of Niantic has both survived cancer and thrived with cancer.

In 2004, Bob and his wife, Karen, spent her birthday at the oncologist’s office, where he learned that he had Leukemia, more specifically, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). As scary as it was, he learned that if diagnosed with leukemia, CLL is the “best” one to have.

After six years of living with CLL, Bob had an endoscopy because of difficulty swallowing. Davis was told “not to worry, they would scope and dilate his esophagus and be better than new.” Upon waking up and asking how things looked, he received utter silence from his doctor.

Bob’s wife was called and the two of them met with the doctor who explained that he had found a cancerous tumor. Bob learned what it is to undergo chemotherapy and have the skin burned off your esophagus from twenty-eight fractions of radiation therapy. Simultaneously, he also learned to advocate for cancer care and how to seek out the best treatment available. And he became a beacon of hope for others undergoing cancer treatment when founded the charity Sails Up 4 Cancer (SU4C) in the summer of 2010.

Despite Bob’s pain and agony, he endured. Bob is now in remission and he gives his time and energy to others. Most recently, Bob assisted in establishing the Spinnaker fund.

By definition, the spinnaker is a sail used when sailing with the wind behind your back. Sails Up 4 Cancer acts as that wind. The Spinnaker Fund is to encourage and support those battling cancer and undergoing expensive treatments. As expenses grow and income is lost, this fund alleviates the stress associated with financial hardships.

Bob’s enthusiasm for life is palpable, and he recognizes that his successful battle with cancer is an everyday blessing for him and for all those who know him. He continues at the helm of the organization he founded and continues to give back to his community via running events; organizing fund raisers and giving generously to L+M Hospital and the Center for Hospice Care among others.

In addition to founding and presiding over Sails Up 4 Cancer, and establishing the Spinnaker Fund, Bob is also a four-time leading fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Connecticut Regattas.


Sails Up 4 Cancer awards $10K grant to L+M Hospital

Pictured from left to right:
Front Row: Karen Davis, Dr. Jamie Lee,
Cathy McCarthy, Shannon Cavanaugh
Back Row: Bill Stanley, Bob Davis, Graham Gavert

Sails Up 4 Cancer is proud to announce the fulfillment of a $10,000 grant request to L+M Cancer Center in Waterford, CT. The donated funds will be used for their Transportation Fund and Patients Assistance Fund. As a sub-part of the Patients Assistance Fund, L+M has established the Single Women/ Head of Household Fund.

“Sails Up 4 Cancer is extremely proud to be one of the first to acknowledge and contribute to this often neglected need,” said Bob Davis, CEO & Founder of Sails Up. “Some of the most frequent requests for funds from our Spinnaker Fund account come from single mothers.”

Sails Up 4 Cancer is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research, education, care and prevention for all types of cancer.

“As they always do, Sails Up 4 Cancer has recognized an important cancer-related need in our community and stepped up to fulfill it. Very often, there is so much focus on cancer and the appropriate cures for it that some of the important incidentals such as reliable transportation to and from treatment can be overlooked. That is why we are so privileged to have a knowledgeable and generous partner like our good friends at Sails Up 4 Cancer. Their support for our Cancer Center and our patients over the years has been nothing short of incredible,” said Bill Stanley, Vice President of Development & Community Relations at L+M Hospital.

“The Cancer Center is so grateful for the grant money from Sails Up 4 Cancer. We all know someone who is affected by cancer, and with the monies from this grant, we can help patients that may have no transportation to get to the Center to receive their treatments. The additional money from this grant will help with programming for our women who have minimal support at home,” said Cathy McCarthy, Oncology Licensed Clinical Social Worker at L+M Cancer Center.

 

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For Further info: Bob Davis, Sails Up 4 Cancer – Rdavis@su4c.org – www.su4c.org