Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

Axtmayer Cancer Fund: A Personal Mission

Photo Courtesy of Alfredo Axtmayer

Alfredo Axtmayer's world changed in November 2008 after learning he had Hodgkin's lymphoma. The high school and college athlete now faced a different kind of opponent — a cancer attacking his body's immune system.

After being declared in remission, Axtmayer sought ways to raise awareness of his disease and funding for research to help others. One of his first feats was to captain a relay team on a 190-mile overnight marathon from Branford, Conn., to Boston, MA.

Shortly afterwards, he established the Axtmayer Cancer Fund at The Foundation. In five years, the Fund made grants to CancerCare, the Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

Donor Advised Funds are Powerful Force for Giving

"As a cancer survivor, I'm passionate about funding patient education, patient services, patient treatment and research in cancer," says Alfredo Axtmayer. "A donor advised fund allows me to select the local and national projects and services that have the most potential and impact."

Friends and family are all too eager to support the Fund's work through donations commemorating special events, like Alfredo's 7-year remission anniversary in 2016.

Some facts about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) at The Foundation:

• 75% of current DAFs are endowed funds
• 21% of current DAF donors have also included an estate gift
• 44% of current DAF donors have also made a gift to another fund
• When no longer advised, 70% of current DAFs will become funds for flexible purposes
• 75% of grants made from DAFs are to organizations in CT
• There are 13 permanent funds that were started as DAFs. Seven are designated for specific organizations and six are flexible for flexible purposes.