In the 1990s, a woman died from Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. Her family made a targeted research donation to help fund better treatment for the future. In early 2005, a lawyer was diagnosed with the same disease. Instead of a grim prognosis, a newly available treatment gave the father of three young children his health back within a year.
That lawyer was Rob Kinas, and he soon wondered how he could thank the family that helped fund the research that saved his life. His answer was to pay it forward by starting the Cancer Research Racquet. What started in late 2005 with 50 members has grown into 11,000 strong who love tennis and help raise money to fund targeted cancer research grants.
Before he got sick, Kinas often traveled for work and took clients to tennis events, a passion of his from his high school playing days. After his diagnosis, Kinas would email updates about his health. That was when he discovered something about his worldwide business circle.
“A significant percentage of the people in our group were either survivors or caregivers to friends and family who had been sick,” Kinas says.
