BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jacquie Hirsch died from acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2008. She was 23 years old.
As a way to make sure other families going through treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jacquie's family create a foundation in her name.
The Jacquie Hirsch For A.L.L. Foundation.
"We have an annual events where, through our foundation and the funds that are raised, we bring that gift cards down here to Roswell every year and give them out directly to the patients," said TJ Hirsch, Jacquie's brother.
Since 2008, the Jacquie Hirsch For A.L.L Foundation has raised over $2.2 million.
This year, the foundation is donating $50,000 worth of gift cards to 134 families of Roswell Park patients.
"There's a lot of things that people tend to forget, you still need to buy groceries, you still have to put gas in the car," Hirsch said. "So it's our way of giving back to the patients and trying to make this time of the year a little bit easier for all of them."
The foundation also makes a donation towards research aimed at finding new treatment for the leukemia Jacquie had. Dr. Eunice Wang of Roswell Park oversaw Jacquie's treatment.
"My laboratory, and the research program here, is working to optimize and provide new therapies. If Jackie had been diagnosed now with her MLL rearranged leukemias, we now have novel agents that would have prolonged her lifespan, and potentially would have left a cure," Dr. Wang said.
Another organization helped raise money to purchase the gift cards, Dancers Give Back, a nonprofit organization founded by Ali Dietz. Dietz went to SUNY Geneseo with Hirsch and was part of the same sorority when she was diagnosed with leukemia.
Dietz also founded her organization shortly after Hirsch's death and has since raised over $800,000 for various charities. Dancers Give Back recently held a three day event that raised over $125,000 for Hirsch's Foundation. Dietz brought nearly two dozen dancers to Roswell Park to help hand out the gift cards, sing songs and perform dance routines for the patients.
"It's something really special to be here to visit and speak to and get to know families," Dietz said. "I think, especially for kids, it gives a great perspective. on life and not taking anything for granted."