Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Laudadio.
Hi Tony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My name is Tony Laudadio, and I am a cancer warrior. I was first diagnosed in my 20s in July of 2013 with Stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma and a huge tumor. It caused me to lose my right kidney and forced me out of work for several months. I thought I was well on my way to recovery and potentially ringing the bell (sort of a fun cancer-free ritual they do at MD Anderson) when I unexpectedly had my first two seizures. On September 24, 2015, I was diagnosed with a second, utterly unrelated cancer — brain cancer. After my docs determined I had Oligodendroglia Grade 3 Brain cancer, I underwent a successful “awake craniotomy,” which is a very specialized and rare surgery. It was about 8-10 hours long, and I was most awake. For the next 18 months, I endured a combination of brain radiation, physical therapy, and chemotherapy. Currently, my cancer is stable. But the fight I am facing is far from over, and it will most likely be one that I battle for a long time. A cancer diagnosis turns a family’s world upside down. While the shock of such news is fresh, life and its obligations continue – sometimes with mounting medical bills and other financial stresses. This is especially critical when the person who is diagnosed with cancer happens to be the financial provider for the family, and their medical condition is serious enough that they are no longer able to work. This is why I started the Tony Foundation.
Tony Foundation is a non-profit corporation based in Austin, Texas. We are constantly fundraising and trying to reach more and more potential donors. Our goal is to help fill a critical financial need that comes with a new cancer diagnosis. I faced this very predicament during my cancer journey despite having a thriving career in sales before my cancer journey. I have been through that fire that so many are going through every day, and I understand the struggle of facing a sudden battery of tests, treatments, and even surgeries while being unable to work due to cancer. Immediate expenses pile up quickly, adding to already intense stress and worry. Now, I have made it my mission and purpose to be an inspiration and fill a massive void in the cancer community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing about my cancer journey was smooth. There were so many dark times, and I experienced every side effect in the Oncology book. I had severe migraines, seizures, and so many very sick days, unable to get out of bed. This lasted for about 2 years, but it felt in some ways like the world was passing me by. I was replaced in my thriving career by medical sales. That was devastating and took a while to get over. I had built a real name for myself after 9 years of sales success. Through amazing therapy and the power of positivity, inspiration taken from family members who had battled cancer, and some internal willpower, I was able to see a different vision for myself beyond my treatment. That is when I had a calling to do something special. I had no idea what it would be, but after 10 months of research, a push from a good friend, and long nights at coffee shops, I decided to start a nonprofit to help other cancer fighters uniquely. Since getting incorporated in January of 2018, there have been some struggles, too. I had to start from scratch. I had to find a donor pool that would help us be sustainable. I formed partnerships with some tremendous companies and leaned on a wealth of experience from generous volunteers who gave their time to be on our Board of Directors. Running a nonprofit is not a smooth road, especially when you factor in pandemics and recessions, but every year, we have grown our overall revenue despite those challenges. I believe the reason for that is the power of our mission and the belief and knowledge that this direct assistance in the hands of cancer fighters is changing and, in some cases, saving lives.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
At Tony Foundation, I am the Executive Director and Founder. I spend my days fundraising, planning events, marketing our cause, talking with donors, giving speeches in person, guest speaking on podcasts, and ensuring that everything at our 501c3 nonprofit is managed legally and ethically. We manage donations, and ultimately, our mission is to help as many cancer fighters as we can in the communities we serve. Our mission is unique because we give no-strings-attached grants to cancer fighters wondering where the money will come from for their next car payment, medical bill, and prescription refill. Often, these patients were in a positive financial position before their diagnosis. I am proud that we have helped so many cancer fighters. We have helped almost 150 families and will be beyond that by the time this is published. We give out $5,000 grants to these families, providing gap funding to help supplement the lack of work income and allowing them to decide where the funds need to be allocated the most. A program like this is unheard of if you search far and wide for months like I did. Before starting a nonprofit in Jan of 2018, I worked in sales my entire career before being diagnosed twice myself, two years apart. I worked and excelled in the solid waste and recycling industry, construction sales, and medical distribution sales. I think that is a big reason our fundraising is successful because even though I started this with my heart, I run it with my business mind to ensure that we are sustainable and can assist cancer fighters for many years.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the beauty of Austin and the give-back spirit it has. Whether it is Amplify Austin every spring, the countless fundraisers every weekend, the college life it offers for the youth, or the booming business mecca it has become, it makes this city unique. The aura created with Austin is being lost a bit with all the growth, but I have learned through my life that you can always find positives in change if you keep your eyes open.
Pricing:
- Monthly donations appreciated
- 25/ month
- 50/month
- 100/month
- Sponsor a family for $5,000
Contact Info:
- Website: tonyfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyfoundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyfoundation
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9tfGxY8VY4893MGCsykXBQ
