Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

ANGELS IN THE VALLEY::

Local fundraising for leukemia research has raised $200,000

Friends Raise $200,000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma

L.E. Baskow

Donnie and Deirdre Strunk with Melissa Plakio, right, have raised almost $200,000 for leukemia and lymphoma research since Donnie was diagnosed in 2010 with a rare form of leukemia.

DO YOU KNOW AN ANGEL?

In Angels in the Valley, an occasional series, we profile individuals who’ve made a difference in the lives of others and deserve to be recognized for their willingness to help. If you know an Angel, email [email protected] with details.

Twelve months to live. T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia. No cure.

When Donnie Strunk was diagnosed in 2010 at age 38 with a rare form of leukemia, his friends and family were stricken.

Fortunately for the Strunks, they didn’t have to look far for support. Their champion had come to them 14 years earlier when Strunk’s wife, Deirdre, met Melissa Plakio at a spa where both women worked.

A wife and mother herself, Plakio knew she needed to help. With Deirdre Strunk, Plakio formed a group to start raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s research efforts.

“It’s not like colon or breast cancer, where you get annual screenings or learn how to do self-exams,” said Plakio, 39. “There are no preventive measures. You just wake up one day and suddenly have it.”

Plakio and Strunk started recruiting friends, family and co-workers to raise funds. In its first year, the group raised more than $24,000 by asking local businesses to sponsor them in charity events such as the Rock ‘n’ Roll and Summerlin marathons, and the Light the Night Walk.

Plakio soon expanded her efforts, setting up silent auctions and organizing charity motorcycle rides. She convinced local restaurants, big-box stores and community groups to donate. She kept her team motivated with mantras: “You will never be poor by giving” and “Ordinary people do extraordinary things.”

“She doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” said Donnie Strunk, now 43. “She calls it ‘volun-telling,’ not volunteering.”

“It’s people like Melissa who never cease to amaze me,” said Kris Crawford, managing director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Southern Nevada office. “She is a true advocate and one of our community’s best. She has been relentless in her fundraising efforts to advance our mission and help us find a cure for blood cancer.”

So far this year, Plakio, the Strunks and their team have raised more than $63,500 to study Donnie’s type of cancer. To date, the group has raised almost $200,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. One hundred percent of every dollar goes toward research and finding a cure — not marketing or administration, Plakio said.

Donnie Strunk is helping to celebrate the achievement. On May 17, he marked his fifth year as a leukemia survivor.

“We’re just normal people just trying to make a difference,” Plakio said.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy