Financial Advisors Raise Funds for Childhood Cancer Research

Three years ago, Financial Advisor Gregory Gertz's children approached him with the idea to host a basketball clinic to help raise funds for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation after learning from their father that Northwestern Mutual had launched a national philanthropic effort to eradicate childhood cancer. By joining forces with the well-respected John Karzen Basketball program, they could both raise money and awareness needed for funding pediatric cancer research.

By partnering with a fellow financial advisor in the Deerfield office, Scott R. Evans, he and Gertz created "Hoops for Hope" to support the company's national philanthropic initiative on the local level. In the past three years, "Hoops for Hope" has raised over $10,000.

"Greg and Scott are part of a firm culture that embodies the spirit of making a positive impact on others," said James T. Stinson, Managing Director of the Deerfield based Northwestern Mutual Office. "We're proud of their efforts, as well as all of our team members who support this cause in a variety of ways."

Northwestern Mutual-Chicago, through its offices in Downtown Chicago, Deerfield, Oak Brook and Rosemont, has raised more than $200,000 by hosting lemonade stands in their communities, participating in races as charity runners, playing in golf outings, contributing to Jeans Day, and attending special dinners. In 2016, the firm was recognized by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation with the Childhood Cancer Impact Award.

Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children from ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. Yet, childhood cancer research and services are vastly and consistently underfunded. Northwestern Mutual launched its Childhood Cancer Program in 2012 to accelerate the search for cures to childhood cancers and to provide support to families battling the disease.