Chris Zavadowski: Making a Ripple the Maverick Way
Everyone who has spent some time with Maverick member #4 Chris Zavadowski knows that he is a mover and a shaker. Chris currently runs Lifetime Marketing Success, Inc. (a business marketing, education & publishing company), performs, directs and is a musical director for stage theater productions. He also hosts several charity fundraisers each year to raise tens of thousands for great charity causes. One cause that hits him close to home is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Like many of us, Chris has experienced first hand the devastation of watching a loved be diagnosed with and then treated for cancer. Four years ago, Chris’s father was diagnosed with Stage IV Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma, unspecified. Chris and his family stood by as his father endured grueling treatment. This was a challenging time, but they made sure to focus on the light, have fun as a family and be positive in the face of adversity. Chris’s story has a happy ending, in that his father made it through and beat the cancer, thanks to a clinical research study he participated in. Because no standard treatment exists for his dad’s cancer and currently, there is not a cure for any blood cancers, Chris along with many others like him fully understand the importance of promoting and funding clinical research and funding programs. This is why he is so passionate about hosting his annual Charity Power Hour. Not only has this fundraiser been successful in raising money for cancer research, but it also serves as an avenue for Maverick members to connect with each other and give back after spending an exciting week at the Underground Online Seminar. This year, some of you contributed to making this the biggest year yet. Continue reading as Chris tells us more of his story:
“Wow. Four years already. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. Here I am sitting in a very familiar waiting room right next to a very familiar fish tank. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat here while my Dad gets CT scans, watching the clown fish swimming back and forth. Will the lymph nodes light up differently this time? Nah. These days, I always expect good news, but it wasn’t too long ago we didn’t know what to expect…You see, four years ago my Dad became very ill…so bad that he had to stay home from work. I’ll spare you all of the “fun” details, but the result was he looked like a pale ghost, with zero appetite or energy….”
To continue reading Chris’s account, click the following link:
How Cancer Research Saved My Family
Chris’s story continued..
5 years ago, after UG5 had ended, last call was coming too early. So as any crazy marketer would do…Perry Belcher (giving spirit that he is) wanted to really shake things up, and bought 100 beers. Jimmy Sweeney added 50 to that. And management threw in another 20 beers. Now, 170 beers sitting on a bar at once is A LOT…
In fact — and this might surprise you — the marketers in the bar simply didn’t know what to do with all that beer at once! Well, I flashed back to my college days and remembered the famous “Power Hour” (simply one shot of beer per minute, for an hour). That’s all it took, and believe it or not, we quickly ran out of the 170 beers!
Little did I realize this would turn into an annual event, but since it was so much fun, everyone wanted to do it again! Three years ago, we turned it into a charity event and raised over $1600 for the Fallen Whistle Charity and Frank McKinney’s Caring House Foundation in Haiti! Then, we raised over $4,500 for cancer research. And last year, we raised $20,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!
Check out some of the great donations made by generous Mavericks, what a way to make a difference:
Way to go Maverick Rockstars!!
Have you personally been affected by cancer and want to join Chris Zavadowski in “The Mission” to wipe out blood cancer? If you say YES, click here:
(http://www.charitypowerhour.
If you have any thoughts or questions for Chris, contact him directly at chris@zavadowski.com.
