ONE SUMMIT ANNUAL REPORT 2016
“IN 40+ YEARS ON THIS JOB, THIS IS ONE OF (PERHAPS THE) MOST INSPIRING INTERVENTIONS I HAVE EVER WITNESSED FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES!” DR. STEPHEN SALLAN Senior Pediatric Oncologist, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Board of Directors
Board of Advisors
Adam La Reau, Founder, President & Chairman of the Board
Andrea De Azevedo
Thomas Bird Bradford Boss Matthew Fedor Steve Hardy
Alissa Farber Kristin Howard Anne Nolen Lynne Reznick
Joseph La Reau Jason Mitchell John Roth
With our deepest love and admiration, we are immensely thankful for our supporters
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR What started as an idea in 2013 has undoubtedly flourished into a thriving organization full of hope, inspiration, and at times, heartbreak. We are encouraged by the progress we’ve made and grateful to share this journey with you. When I met Adam La Reau in 2013, I felt instantly moved by his revolutionary idea of One Summit. At the time, I was unaware of the journey I would embark upon as I agreed to volunteer for this wonderful cause. The momentum and outpouring of support surrounding One Summit drove my transition to Executive Director in 2015. A decision that has filled my life with purpose, love, and happiness. One Summit holds a very special place in my heart, and I am honored and thankful to be part of this family. This past year has seen extraordinary growth, innovation, as well as grief. We’ve expanded our geographic reach, implemented community-building initiatives, launched a new website, and embarked on a comprehensive strategic planning process. We also faced tremendous sorrow accompanying the loss of three heroic little The driving force behind all we warriors. Through these ups and down, our do is our childhood cancer families. commitment to offering unparalleled opportunities that build resilience in families facing The strength and tenacity that pediatric cancer is stronger than ever.
radiates from these families fuels our motivation and grounds our endeavors in love and compassion.
One Summit’s impact is a collective effort cultivated by our Board of Directors, Board of Advisors, and amazing individuals that come together to bring this vision to life. We are eternally grateful to our donors and sponsors for the trust and generous contributions you invest in our vision. Because of you, we exceeded our revenue goal by 171% last year. You have unlocked our ability to serve these families in more ways than we ever have. The driving force behind all we do is our childhood cancer families. The strength and tenacity that radiates from these families fuels our motivation and grounds our endeavors in love and compassion. These ambitious efforts would not be possible without the inimitable role of our Navy SEALs. My heart is full of love, respect, and gratitude for these remarkable men. Their selfless dedication to our childhood cancer heroes has a profound impact unlike anything else. In the coming year, One Summit will focus on continuing to expand our geographic scope, as well as implement an additional programmatic service of storytelling. Through this new initiative, we will inspire our little warriors and their families to share their stories, a methodology proven to enhance resilience and promote emotional well-being. I am proud of our accomplishments, humbled by your support, and excited to see where the future takes us! With Love,
Kelly O’Donnell Executive Director
ABOUT ONE SUMMIT Founder’s Story One Summit was founded by Adam La Reau in 2013. Adam’s inspiration stemmed from his experiences as a Navy SEAL, coupled with his mother’s fight against breast cancer. Adam began volunteering with cancer organizations after his mother lost her battle to cancer in 2004. Through volunteering Adam saw a lot of young kids battling cancer that didn’t necessarily have the skills to conquer this disease on their own. He thought it was an unfair fight and wanted to even the odds. His experiences in the military lead him to believe there was an opportunity for the Navy SEALs to help these kids. Adam says “I served with a lot of amazing men who were incredibly heroic, courageous, and resilient.” He recognized the skills embedded in the SEALs were the skills the kids needed to battle this debilitating disease. He decided to bring these two worlds together and create One Summit.
Mission One Summit builds resilience in families facing pediatric cancer through experiential learning with Navy SEALs, storytelling, and community engagement.
Vision No family fights pediatric cancer alone.
Milestones
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NOVEMBER 2013
MARCH 2014
NOVEMBER 2014
JULY 2015
SEPTEMBER 2015
Adam La Reau Founded One Summit
First Boston Climb for Courage
Second Boston Climb for Courage
Hired an Executive Director & incorporated as a 501(c)(3)
Third Boston Climb for Courage
ONE SUMMIT ANNUAL REPORT 2017
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
STORYTELLING
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING with Navy SEALs
Autobiographical storytelling contributes to resilience while decreasing stress, anxiety, and depression. Through storytelling, we empower our families to achieve grit, promote well-being, and engage with others in a way that instills hope, courage, and connectivity.
Social connection is one of our fundamental human needs and results in improved physical health and emotional well-being. One Summit hosts community events to enhance connectivity and provide a supportive network to our families as they navigate the challenges of childhood cancer.
The Climb for Courage is our experiential learning approach to building resilience in pediatric cancer patients and their siblings. Through the safe and controlled environment of indoor rock climbing, the Navy SEALs induce individual challenges that allow the children to achieve growth through overcoming adversity. Ultimately the children can reflect on the challenges they have overcome on the rock wall and apply them to the everyday challenges of fighting cancer.
JANUARY 2016
APRIL 2016
JUNE 2016
SEPTEMBER 2016
Launched Community Engagement initiatives
5 Navy SEALs ran the Boston Marathon for One Summit through John Hancock Charity Programs
Fourth Boston Climb for Courage
First NYC Climb for Courage
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“The smile on Jared’s face is something I’ll never forget. I got way more from that young man than he ever did from me.”
THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS
Jared Rascio was your typical Pokémonloving, Lego-building, 7-year-old when his life was turned upside down. In April 2014, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and began fighting for his life. Jared’s family was instantly drawn to One Summit because of the like-mindedness they felt between Jared and the Navy SEALs. According to Jared’s father, “when faced with adversity, Jared chooses to dig in and overcome rather than accept it.” When Jared signed up for the Climb for Courage in September 2016, he asked his dad, “do you think any Navy SEALs ever had cancer? And do you think they would say I’m brave for fighting this?” As fate would have it, Jared’s Navy SEAL mentor is a cancer survivor. When Jared first met Andy, their connection was captivating. Andy reminisces,
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ONE SUMMIT ANNUAL REPORT 2017
“I told Jared that I was a cancer survivor and how proud I was of him for being so brave. I’ll never forget the smile on Jared’s face when I gave him a small Trident making him an honorary SEAL. I got way more from that young man than he ever did from me.” What Jared remembers most about rock climbing was when the children encountered challenges on the rock wall, the Navy SEALs would say: “just get one more step!” The SEALs encouraged the children to concentrate on just getting one more step instead of focusing on how far they still had to go. Through this expression, Jared realized that the pathway to success is nothing more than the culmination of small victories, and by facing challenges just one step at a time, you will ultimately achieve your goal.
“My Navy SEAL encouraged me to go higher and work harder. It felt really good because accomplishing your goals makes you happy.”
AN UNBREAKABLE BOND
In 2013, 7-Year-Old Emma Tierney was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Words her mother, Jessica, wished she would never hear again after conquering childhood cancer herself. What was once Jessica’s fight, became her daughter’s. In search of opportunities to help their little girl face this devastating disease, the Tierney’s discovered One Summit. Emma attended One Summit’s Climb for Courage in November 2014 and met her Navy SEAL mentor, Jarrett. Instantly, Jarrett and Emma formed an unbreakable bond and genuine companionship. During the event, Jarrett taught Emma how to persevere in the face of adversity and to never give up. After climbing with Jarrett, Emma said: “my Navy SEAL encouraged me to go higher and work harder. It felt really good because accomplishing your goals makes you happy”.
Jarrett and Emma’s relationship has grown stronger over the years. According to Emma’s dad, “Jarrett exemplifies everything you think a SEAL is and so much more. He is one of the most caring, dedicated, encouraging, and brave men you will ever meet. Jarrett is truly one of the most influential adults in Emma’s life.” Last year Emma and her family went to visit Jarrett for Memorial Day Weekend where their families ran the “Run to Remember,” an annual 5k race to remember and honor all of the fallen. Recently, Jarrett and his family relocated to Germany, and although they are 4,000 miles apart, their bond remains steadfast. Through Jarrett’s relocation, Emma embraced a new challenge of learning a different language and writes letters to Jarrett in German. The Tierney’s have become exceptionally close with Jarrett and his family and plan to visit them in Germany this summer.
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LIKE-MINDED WARRIORS Steve and Donna Hardy know all too well the fighting spirit entrenched in both children with cancer and the Navy SEALs. The Hardy’s eldest son, Josh, battled a brain tumor before succumbing to the disease in 1993 at the young age of 18. Their youngest son, Nate, fulfilled his life-long dream of becoming a Navy SEAL. Nate’s career ended short when he was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although Nate and Josh fought different wars, their bravery, resilience, and courage were identical. Josh Hardy was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the young age of 16. Regardless of his diagnosis, Josh was full of hope, humor, and bravery. Friends and family reminisce, “Josh believed in living a full life, in friendship, forgiveness, and hope. He taught us how to
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ONE SUMMIT ANNUAL REPORT 2017
“Josh believed in living a full life, in friendship, forgiveness, and hope. He taught us how to be better human beings.”
be better human beings.” Although Josh was a standout soccer player, he had a deeper love for skateboarding, surfing, and the arts. He dreamed of going to art school one day. In the final year of Josh’s life, he kept a journal and wrote on the cover: “Never deprive someone of hope, it may be all he or she has.” Throughout Josh’s 18-month battle with cancer, his message of hope remained steadfast. He inspired all those who observed his courage, perseverance, and attitude towards
IF KNOCKED DOWN, I WILL GET BACK UP, EVERY TIME. I AM NEVER OUT OF THE FIGHT.
NAVY SEAL ETHOS
life. And although cancer cut Josh’s life short, it never succeeded in taking away his hope, resilience, and inspiring personality. After losing his eldest brother to cancer, Nate found a different type of brotherhood in the SEAL teams. The warrior life resonated deeply with him. To Nate, protecting your country and your brothers in arms was an extraordinary honor. Nate told his father “I do this for my country and for the guys next to me.” Nate lived his dream both at work, serving his country, and at home, where he was a devoted husband and father. Nate made the ultimate sacrifice in 2008 while conducting combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His brother, Ben, stated: “Nate’s last action before succumbing to his wounds was an effort to drag his teammate
With uncompromising integrity, Nate sacrificed his life to protect his teammates and his country.
out of harm’s way, and he never dropped his shield...Every time he went into battle, he did so with the American flag folded and pressed tight to his body underneath his body armor... to me it means that Nate did not just fight for the man next to him, it means he fought and died for every one of us.” Nate received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his heroic and selfless actions that night. With uncompromising integrity and bravery, Nate sacrificed his life to protect his teammates and his country. We will always be grateful for Nate’s sacrifice and Josh’s love for life.
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OUR IMPACT 2016 Impact Review 2017 Impact Projection
PARTICIPANTS SERVED 73
153
Pediatric Cancer Patients
33 85
Siblings
44 84
Navy SEALs
70%
increase in participants served over 2015
115%
increase in participants served over 2016
PROGRAMMATIC EVENTS
2 3 7 10 2 3 Climb For Courage Events
Community Engagement Events
Cities
Boston, NYC, San Diego
Storytelling Program Design & Implementation Underway
“MY SON JUST HAD AN MRI AND HIS BRAIN TUMOR HAS SHRUNK 3MM. IT IS A HUGE AMOUNT! BEFORE JOINING ONE SUMMIT, HE WAS READY TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. HE TOLD ME THAT HE JUST WANTED THE TUMOR TO GROW BECAUSE HE CAN’T TAKE THE TREATMENT ANYMORE. HE WENT TO YOUR CLIMB FOR COURAGE AND I SWEAR, IT GAVE HIM THE STRENGTH AND THE BELIEF THAT HE CAN FIGHT THIS. THAT DAY MAY JUST TURN OUT TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF MY SON’S LIFE.”
OUR DONORS Our efforts wouldn’t be possible without your generous and loyal support. Thank you!
$30,000+ Anonymous Donor
$15,000 – $29,999 Bradford R. Boss Elliot Hershberg John and Sandra Roth
$5,000 – $14,999 Michael Earley David Fialkow John Keogh Jack Sebastian
PARENT
2016 REVENUE
$1,000 – $4,999
$171,088
Individual Donors
$273,809 Total Revenue
$47,000 Grants
$55,721
Corporate Sponsors
110% growth over 2015
John and Alyson Archer Louis Chabrier Amanda Coder Michael Coslov Mark Flaherty Anna Geraty Ronald and Janice Jewell Julie Johnson Scott Lopez Brandi McGoldrick Jason and Amanda Mitchell Viktoria Shulevich Clayton Smith Greg and Elizabeth Todd
$500 – $999
2016 EXPENSES
$129,507 Program
$181,497 Total Expenses
$38,629 Fundraising
$13,361
General Admin
Andrew Arnott Fabio Covarrubias Robert and Cheryl Cummins Matthew and Meghan Fedor Kathleen A. Foran Jimmy Hatch Daniel Hegarty Kenneth and Janet Himmel Matthew Witkos Boriana Karastoyanova Gregory Mackin Chris McNamara Roy Mecklenburg Brian and Peggy O’Donnell Michael Pierce Kyle Rochefort
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You can make a difference by donating today! www.onesummit.org/donate
“HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE DAY WITH NAVY SEALS HAD A WONDERFUL IMPACT ON MY SON’S SELF-ESTEEM. HE HAS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE TO KNOW HOW MUCH HIS NAVY SEAL WENT THROUGH. HE HAS A NEW MOTTO IN LIFE “NEVER GIVE UP”.” PARENT
“I WAS SCARED AT THE BOTTOM, MY NAVY SEAL HELPED ME OVERCOME MY FEAR BY BEING AN AWESOME HERO.” LITTLE WARRIOR
To learn more, please visit: www.onesummit.org facebook.com/onesummit twitter.com/one_summit instagram.com/one_summit
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