Gerri Neylon is a Registered Nurse caring for oncology patients her entire career. She retired from Advocate Christ Medical Center in 2018 and now works part time at Affiliated Oncology in Chicago Ridge. Gerri witnessed the financial and emotional struggles that cancer patients endure and decided she needed to help in some way. She contacted a few friends and family members in December of 2003 to ask for assistance for a young wife and mother who was battling cancer. They sat around her kitchen table and brainstormed ideas to help this young family. Within three days, they had two vans filled with presents, household items, diapers, food, clothing and gift cards. The evening they delivered the items to the family was amazing! They witnessed the joy and hope that this family so desperately needed. It was very emotional and joyful at the same time. Little did she realize at that time, Christmas Without Cancer was originated and would grow into what it is today! Gerri is very thankful for the committee members and volunteers that help and support our fundraising efforts to continue helping local southland cancer patients and their families.
Gerri enjoys traveling, bike riding, swimming, home decorating and spending time with her family, friends and two grandchildren. She currently resides in Evergreen Park. She has met and befriended many local cancer patients and families since Christmas Without Cancer was formed and she is very proud of all the accomplishments her organization has made over the years.
Renee Copeland grew up in Oak Lawn and now resides in Alsip with her husband, Will. Together, they have 3 children. She graduated from Fox College and worked in a law-firm downtown for eleven years before deciding to be a stay-at-home mom. In her free time, she likes to take adventures with her kids, enjoys trying new restaurants, watching new/old movies, finding the best fishing spots, and reading mysteries on her Kindle.
She learned about Christmas Without Cancer after her own family became Christmas recipients in 2017. Her cousin’s youngest son, Nicholas, was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma shortly after his first birthday. This was the first time she had witnessed the devastation childhood cancer brings to loved ones. She helped plan ‘Nick’s Fight’ which was one of the largest benefits Bourbon Street had ever seen. Nick gained his angel wings in May 2019 after fighting cancer almost his entire life.
In an effort to pay the kindness forward and help more families faced with the challenges of cancer, she jumped at the opportunity to join the Christmas Without Cancer committee in 2018. A year later, she was named Vice President. She enjoys meeting/talking with our families and has become friends with many of them. She feels blessed to be a part of such an amazing organization that helps so many local families in some of their hardest moments.
Mari Elzinga has lived in Evergreen Park for 31 years with her husband, Dean. They have raised 3 children here. She worked as a Theatre Manager for 20 years before deciding to watch family from her home. She loves spending time with her 2 grandsons, walking her dog, and reading monthly books for her book club.
She became friends with Gerri Neylon when she moved across the street. Soon after, Gerri was looking for help from the neighbors with a rummage sale for Christmas Without Cancer. She became hooked when she saw all the good this organization does for local families. She started organizing paperwork and helping with the day to day duties.
Being a part of Christmas Without Cancer for the past 18 years has enriched her life. Sadly, cancer has impacted so many lives. It is an honor to be a part of an organization that helps others when they need it most.
Courtney Buechele is the Marketing Director of James & Sons Fine Jewelers, a local family owned business and proud supporter of Christmas Without Cancer. Courtney joins our board of directors with related experience in event planning, design, sponsorships, leadership, and so much more.
Courtney is a passionate individual who believes in helping people celebrate life’s little moments. She understands the small victories are particularly important to be celebrated for those going through hard battles such as cancer.
Courtney’s hobbies include reading, traveling, spending time with loved ones, and exercising. She’ll also never pass up an opportunity for some pampering or relaxation.
Courtney first learned about Christmas Without Cancer through her friend Lisa whose family was affected by this awful disease. In 2019, Courtney’s mom, Chris, was also diagnosed with cancer. Chris left her job as an oncology nurse to begin treatment for stage 4 stomach cancer. CWC was able to help Chris, but to Courtney and her family it was so much bigger than financial support. It was a sense of hope. Thankfully Chris beat cancer and today is a stage 4 survivor!
Seeing the devastations of cancer first hand and inspired by her mom’s courage, Courtney had a desire to give back. She was so moved by what CWC had done for her mom, her friend’s family, and hundreds of complete strangers that she knew this was the mission she wanted to be a part of.
Jen Clancy was born and raised in Oak Lawn with her 2 younger brothers, and her family still lives there. She now lives in Lockport with her boyfriend and her two beagles and owns her own law practice in Orland Park.
Jen first heard about Christmas Without Cancer from her friend Renee and decided to get more involved after seeing first hand how cancer can affect a family when her dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer in March of 2018. He gained his angel wings in October of 2022, and Jen looks forward to working with Christmas Without Cancer to help ease some of the burdens of a cancer diagnosis for other local families.
Dan Cook grew up in Evergreen Park, and now resides in Oak Lawn with his wife, Ashlee, and his daughter, Hailey. He graduated from Marquette University and has worked in finance for the last 16 years, currently managing technical trading operations at a prominent trading firm in Chicago. In his free time, Dan loves all things golf related, is an avid Chicago sports fan (with one obvious exception up north) and fills the rest of the time by playing whatever imaginative game his 3-year old daughter dreams up each day.
Dan learned about Christmas Without Cancer through a long time friendship with Gerri’s daughter, Erin. He has been involved in other charitable work in the past, but was specifically drawn to Christmas Without Cancer because of the direct, tangible impact it has on families in the local community. After volunteering in a few events last year, the impact of what CWC does became even more evident to Dan, prompting him to get more involved.
Dan personally knows many families that have been helped by Christmas Without Cancer and has seen the joy that this amazing organization can provide first hand. He hopes to apply some of his professional experience in any way possible to keep this incredible mission growing, so that more and more families can experience the happiness and relief that comes with what CWC can provide.
Julia was born and raised in New Lenox and now currently resides in Lemont with her fiancé, two dogs, and three cats. She attended Illinois State University where she obtained her MPA and shortly after graduating went on to obtain her CPA. She has an extensive background in tax and currently works at Chicago Trading Company as a Tax Analyst. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering for local animal shelters, and a passion for anything that gets her outside.
She first came across Christmas Without Cancer through Jamie O’Gean, a current board member, who was planning a benefit for Amber Woodworth. After attending various CWC events, she was inspired by the impact the organization had made on these families. She looks forward to working alongside the Board of Directors and aiding in the growth of the organization to help provide a bit of lit to these families going through difficult times.
Jamie O’Gean lives in the south suburbs of Chicago with her husband, Tony, and 2 young boys. She attended the University of Saint Francis where she played softball and then continued her education at the University of Notre Dame. She now works for Chicago Trading Company (CTC) as an Engineer after gaining an extensive background in Accounting and Finance. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, painting/drawing/reading, anything creative, endless adventures with her kids, and finding new ways to laugh and try new things. Jamie joins our board of directors with related experience in tax, accounting, systems, process automation, financial planning and other areas of finance.
She learned about Christmas Without Cancer after one of her best friends, Amber Woodworth, was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma on Valentine’s Day 2018 and died six months shortly after. She left behind a family with four young boys and CWC was there to provide support and bring light into some of the darkest days. She feels blessed to be a part of this mission not only to honor Amber and the incredible light that she brought to the world, but to give back and help current and future warriors that will take on the battle.
Michelle Wood was born and raised on the South Side (Mt. Greenwood) and attended grammar school at Saint John Fisher and high school at Mother McAuley. She graduated with a Bachelors from WIU and thereafter received a Masters Degree from Loyola. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker working as a Therapist in Private Practice in Evergreen Park and feel grateful to be able to support others in our community that are ready to heal and become their best selves. She is a mom of 2 great kids and has been happily married for 13 years.
Cancer has gotten closer and closer to her family over the years, and CWC has helped some wonderful friends of their family. After seeing the meaningful and much needed work the organization does, she reached out to CWC in 2017 about the possibility of creating a fun fundraiser to help give back to others struggling with the hardship of a cancer diagnosis. With some major brainstorming and a great group of people, the Harvesting Hope fundraiser was developed. Working with Renee and the wonderful friends who helped build the success of this event has been so much fun and so incredibly uplifting and inspiring. It has truly shown her the strength and generosity of this amazing Southside community we live in.
Adopting families at Christmas time was a wonderful way for her to see how the money raised through fundraising truly impacts a cancer family’s life, and this now remains the why of continued involvement in CWCs amazing mission.
