Feel Good Friday - Causes You Care About 🥰

[Amanda Barber]

It's *finally* Feel Good Friday, Community!

For today, I'd love to hear about the causes you care about. In October, in the U.S., it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This particular cancer has impacted many people I am close to in recent years. (Friendly reminder to schedule your mammogram, ladies!)

I also regularly support the efforts of the Alzheimer's Association, Versiti Blood Centers (with regular blood donations), our local mental health organizations, and United Way.

What are some causes you care about and how do you support those causes? 

[Joe Montibello _he_him_]

One that I'm really connected to is hereditary cancer syndromes. Lynch syndrome affects 1 in 300 Americans, but it's not widely known. The syndrome greatly increases your likelihood of having cancer in your lifetime, especially colorectal and endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer in women under 50 is a "sentinel cancer," meaning that if you fall in that category you should be tested for Lynch Syndrome. Anyone who has this syndrome has a 50% chance of passing it on to any children they may have. Diagnosis requires genetic testing, and if you have Lynch Syndrome, you'll probably need colonoscopies annually along with other regular monitoring for signs of cancer throughout your life. My wife is a cancer survivor and patient advocate, and we're doing the Jimmy Fund walk this weekend in support of Team Lynch Syndrome.

[Barbara Szczesniak]

@Joe Montibello _he_him_ I was one of the people who were unaware of Lynch syndrome. Thank you for the information you have provided.

[Amanda Barber]

Wow, thanks for sharing this information, @Joe Montibello _he_him_! I had never heard of this. 

[Barbara Szczesniak]

Thanks for this topic, @Amanda Barber. It gives me a good feeling to think about supporting causes important to me.

I care about those who are unable to provide for themselves and their families. I regularly go through my clothes and shoes and donate them to local charities. I try to find ones where they just give them to people in need, rather than selling them in stores. For example, battered women's shelters are generally happy to get clothing, shoes, toiletries, towels and bedding, toys for children, and so on.

We also regularly donate to our local food pantry. When we can, we purchase items specifically to donate or contribute the free item from buy-1-get-one-free promotions.

[Amanda Barber]

Great causes and great suggestions for how people can get involved in their own communities, @Barbara Szczesniak - thanks, as always, for chiming in!

[Sean Perry]

For 8-years now I've been raising money for Le Cure, a charity founded in 2014 to raise money for Cancer research at the Royal Marsden in the UK. Every August, our annual cycle event “Le Cure de France” sees Curistas take on some of the Tour de France’s toughest climbs in the French Alps over four gruelling days.  So far we have raised over £3.3 million for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and created six Le Cure research fellowships. 2025 saw us raise £377,000, our best year to date. I'm already signed up for 2026. 

[Amanda Barber]

Wow, thanks for sharing, @Sean Perry 

[Brita Moorus]

I don't really have one specific cause that I actively support right now, but I really like reading about what others are doing - it's inspiring! 💜

In Estonia we often see local initiatives around children's hospitals, animal shelters, and also blood donation drives. Maybe that will be a good place for me to start.

[Amanda Barber]

There's always a cause looking for support! I love donating items and blood when I don't have the money to donate. 

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

I donate to a number of cancer charities. I lost my dad to cancer when he was about the age I am now.

[Amanda Barber]

So sorry to hear that, @Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM 💙

[Sean Perry]

@Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM the very reason I started riding Le Cure, My Dad died at 56 from cancer and on my 56th birthday as a way of remembering him I decided raising money for cancer research was a fitting tribute, and I've done it every year since. As @Amanda Barber said, there is always a good cause to support. 

[Joshua Brock Seibert Group, GmbH]

Great question and love the responses :-)

Multiple Sclerosis research for a cure has been a long-time cause I've followed and supported. For many years, I've raised money for and have ridden in the MS150 event in Pittsburgh and State College, PA. Always a very beautiful and emotional event...love it dearly. I learned last year that a very close friend and colleague of mine was diagnosed and living with MS, so definitely time to return to the annual event....also glad to see the recent Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to a team making great strides in this area.

And more recently, having adopted a rescue pet ourselves, causes that support rescue animals, animal sanctuaries.