Kashwere, LLC
Northbrook, Illinois
K
M
ashwere, LLC President and co-owner Merri
Gleckler learned about Colleen’s Dream when
she met its founders, Nicole and Billy Cundiff,
in July last year. “During that meeting, I learned
about ovarian cancer’s staggering 70 percent death rate with no
early detection. I was horrified that, like many other women, I,
too, was misled to believe that pap smears provide early
detection! When I learned how misinformed I was about
ovarian cancer as well as realizing I was not alone, I was determined to help make a difference,” Gleckler says.
It was at that moment that she made the decision to join
forces with the founding couple so that, together, they could
share this knowledge and help raise funds for scientific research
so that an early detection test can be established.
“I feel it is important to give back and use our platform to
benefit others. It’s actually our brand mission to ‘touch
people’s lives’ as much as possible. Kashwere supports
Colleen’s Dream financially and our products help make
women ‘feel good’ while battling cancer.”
To help support Colleen’s Dream’s mission, Kashwere
collaborated with ZENTS, Kypris, COOLA Suncare and Essence
of Vali to create the “Feel Good Bag.” Sanctuary on Camelback
Mountain also participated in this initiative.
“Kashwere and these other companies each donated 100
‘feel good items’ to include in the customized gift bag, which
myself and those from Colleen’s Dream hand-delivered to
women during their chemo treatments,” she says. In addition,
the company also donated 100 custom travel blankets and
socks.
Gleckler, along with her sister, Lisa Jadis, and friend, Natalie
Fopeano, also created a customized Circle of Good necklace
symbolizing total wellness, in which a percentage of the sales
will be donated to Colleen’s Dream. “We believe that together
we can make a difference,” she says.
Many more functions are currently being planned for 2016,
including the annual kickoff of the Colleen’s Dream Gala. As for
Gleckler, she sets her sights on raising awareness for the cause
and is committed to supporting hospitals that specialize in
oncology care, such as Johns Hopkins University, University of
Arizona Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, and many others.
From left: Nurse Practitioner Deborah Reich, Merri Gleckler, Nicole Cundiff
(co-founder of Colleen’s Dream) and Linda Wagner at the Arizona Oncology.
TOP TIP: “Although these organizations support women-specific diseases, these diseases
affect both men and women as every man has a mother, grandmother and may have a wife,
sisters and aunts. Thus, it is imperative we educate and include men in our efforts.”
March/April 2016
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