Local philanthropist Emi Sakevich poses for a photo with a dress signed by cancer survivors, caretakers of cancer patients and those honoring lives lost to cancer at Yu-Or-Mi Sushi, downtown, Monday, May 1, 2023. Sakevich will wear the dress to the Visionary of the Year award gala on June 24th.
Monday, May 8, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Awash in rays of sunlight streaming through the open window of Yu-Or-Mi Sushi, Emi Sakevich grabs at the rippling skirt of her dress — a bright red color comparable to a fire truck — that is adorned with silver, gold and green names on the skirt.
Sakevich’s gown was first decorated with two names: Kevin, her father and a three-time cancer survivor; and Nami, her mother, who cared for Sakevich’s dad while he was sick.
They both sit right under the waistline at the center of the skirt for all to see, and Sakevich hopes that their names will be joined in the few months by more caretakers and people who have died from or survived cancer.
“I like to think that the dress is kind of taking some of that burden because the more you share someone’s story, the more, like, their love gets spread in the world,” Sakevich said. “You talk about someone’s name, and names are power — if I can talk about my dad all day, I would, and that means that I’m sharing his story and making someone else feel like they’re not alone.”
The dress, worn by Sakevich, will make its public debut June 24 at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Las Vegas Branch’s Visionary of the Year gala, where Sakevich is one of five local nominees for the local 2023 Visionary of the Year award.
Whoever raises the most money becomes the Visionary of the Year, although other criteria like community involvement have an effect as well, said Michelle Feador, a volunteer and executive leadership chair of the Las Vegas branch’s award organization team.
“I’m honored and excited, which I know is a little bit cliché to say, but I am so thrilled to be able to give back in such a huge way because … (cancer) is something that’s really affected my life personally and my friends,” Sakevich said. “So I’m really honored that someone thought highly enough of me to nominate me, and I want to make sure that I do them justice and do a good job.”
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, established in 1949, calls itself “the largest nonprofit” funding research into blood cancers. The group has invested more than $1.6 billion in cancer research and helped advance 70% of blood cancer treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to its website.
Their Visionary of the Year award was created in 2022 from two of the organization’s previous fundraising campaigns and launched in 10 different areas across the United States. This year will be the first Visionary of the Year award campaign in Las Vegas, Feador said.
“The evolution of LLS’s Visionaries and Student Visionaries of the Year invites different views and perspectives, all working together extraordinarily, to be leaders in the cancer space today, tomorrow and into the future,” Dr. Louis DeGennaro, former president and CEO of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, said in a news release. “Together, we are expanding and transforming the landscape of blood cancer care and support so blood cancer patients not only survive but thrive.”
With a background in the food and beverage industry, Sakevich said it was only natural for her to choose cocktails for her fundraiser. She enlisted the help of some local businesses — including Yu-Or-Mi Sushi — to help her through May and June by offering special drinks from which proceeds would go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of Sakevich’s campaign.
During May, patrons can enjoy any featured old fashioned drink at Yu-Or-Mi Sushi or a Queen’s Cup from the Velveteen Rabbit and donate some money toward blood cancer research.
But it’s not simply about the drinks or the money for Sakevich or her nine-person team, “Rise Up Against Cancer.”
That’s why she decided on the dress project as well. Sakevich wanted to ensure that the focus remained on cancer survivors, those who have died of cancer and their caretakers, despite all of the excitement surrounding the gala
“I want to make sure that the reason that we’re doing all of this stays top of mind, and the reason that we’re doing this is for the patients; this is for the survivors, this is for the people who had to succumb to their disease … and the caregivers are so important (too),” Sakevich said.
The 35-year-old philanthropist has seen the ways cancer can affect people’s lives many times.
She watched her father live through multiple bouts of throat cancer and heard from Feador — who now is a close friend — about her leukemia diagnosis as a 23-year-old.
It was Sakevich’s father and Feador’s experiences that led her to get more involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society a year and a half ago, Sakevich said. And Feador was the one who suggested Sakevich for this year’s class of Visionary of the Year award nominees.
“Emi is a very strong-willed, determined person who seems to succeed at anything she puts her mind to,” Feador said. “I thought she’s a very wonderful individual who is very philanthropic … like a pillar in the community.”
As of May 1, Emi had around 10 signatures on her dress and is working to collect more signatures both in person and through social media before June 24, when the Visionary of the Year recipient is announced.
Cancer survivors and caretakers of cancer patients — current or former — can sign Sakevich’s dress, or people can submit names of those who have died of cancer that they would like to honor. Despite the society focusing on blood cancers, Sakevich said she would welcome names from anyone who had been affected by any cancer in their life.
“We’re all affected by cancer whether or not we know it, whether it’s direct and you’re the patient, or whether it’s a friend or a dear family member,” Sakevich said. “So, I was not trying to gatekeep honoring somebody (and) I want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to be represented (on the dress), because cancer is a nondiscriminating disease.”
People can email [email protected] to have a name added to the dress, and Sakevich will send a picture of the written name to each person who submits a name.
Donations can also be made at Sakevich’s team website.
