Twist Out Cancer, an international non-profit charitable organization that provides psychosocial support to individuals touched by cancer through creative arts programming, is proud to announce that Thad Wong and Emily Sachs Wong were selected as the 2021 Brushes With Cancer Honorees for the Midwestern Program. They are being recognized because of their exceptional commitment to philanthropy, their appreciation and love of art, and their personal connection to friends and family who have been touched by cancer. Thad is the co-founder of @properties, which has become the number one brokerage firm in Chicago and the nation’s 10th largest brokerage firm by sales volume (REALTrends 500). Thad and Emily will be attending and speaking at the Virtual Midwest Brushes with Cancer Art Exhibition and celebratory event on Sunday, November 14. The 2021 Brushes with Cancer program in the Midwest includes 35 Inspirations, 35 artists, and 11 mentors, who come from 10 states, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India.
“One day, my dad called and said, ‘I have good news and bad news. The good news is I have prostate cancer, and the bad news is I have a brain tumor.’ He is not around anymore for us to laugh about that joke anymore. On a recent Fourth of July, my mother came to our home and just wasn’t herself – eight weeks later she passed away due to pancreatic cancer,” said Emily Sachs Wong. “These stories are short and not so sweet. Some would say their quick passing’s were a blessing as others face a long battle with cancer, but the loss is the same to those that are left behind. My goal is for my family’s tragedy to not be our legacy, and to help fight cancer so that others don’t have similar stories.”
“When our friend Danny Glick, who is also a Twist Out Cancer board member, told us about the organization, we immediately connected with how powerful art can be used as a form of expression and healing,” said Thad Wong. “We have also been personally touched by cancer, have seen the toll it can take, and how important it is to connect with a community during a time of need, which is why the Brushes With Cancer program offers such a unique form of healing for all those that are involved.”
Thad Wong moved to Chicago a little over thirty years ago to attend Loyola University, and he has not looked back since. He co-founded @properties and @gives back, which is a nonprofit foundation that provides an outlet for agents, employees, and colleagues to make a positive impact on dozens of communities and thousands of lives throughout Chicagoland. Since it was founded, @gives back has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable organizations in the Chicagoland area. Thad and his wife Emily live in Lincoln Park with their four children.
“Please join us and our community filled with Inspirations, Artists, and supporters on Sunday, November 14 as we come together to celebrate a night of hope and love as we marvel at the dozens of unique art pieces representing so many individual journeys with cancer,” said Jenna Benn Shersher, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Twist Out Cancer.
Guests are invited to join the Twist Out Cancer community on Sunday, November 14, for a time of celebration, storytelling, survivorship, and hope. During the celebration, each artist’s piece will be unveiled and auctioned, with proceeds benefitting the mission and work of Twist Out Cancer.