Giving with Heart and Hope for the Future

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Chris Meyer, administrative specialist III at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center, has a quiet but powerful way of giving back. For her, philanthropy is not about recognition. It’s about creating a future where fewer families experience the kind of heartbreak she knows all too well. 

Chris gives through Novant Health Foundation to support mammograms for those who cannot afford them — and has done so for 8 years. Her commitment to giving is deeply personal. Breast cancer has touched many in her family, including her mother and sisters. She knows how critical early detection and timely care can be. 

“It concerns me that there are people who can’t get the treatment they need because they can’t afford it,” Chris said. “That’s worth more to me than using the money for something else.” 

Chris doesn’t see giving as something that empowers her. Instead, she sees it as a way to empower others. She’s seen how access to resources like the Novant Health Mobile Mammogram Cruiser and new treatment options can lead to better outcomes. “Breast and colon cancer are not necessarily a death sentence anymore. That matters,” she shared. 

The decision to give was simple. An email from Novant Health Foundation caught her attention. From there, she learned how much her donation could do for patients and communities. It moved her to act.

Chris’s dedicated generosity is also a tribute to the people she’s lost, including her six-month-old son, Stefan, who passed away from leukemia. Cancer has affected nearly every branch of her family tree. Still, she holds onto hope and encourages others to give in honor of their own loved ones. 

“It could happen to anybody and any time. If everybody would help, with the thought of their family and people they love in mind, we’d make real progress,” she said. 

Chris shares that giving is part of who she is. Having worked in nonprofit settings before, she understands the power of community support. Now, as a team member and a Giving. Serving. Together. champion, she hopes to encourage others to join her. 

“I don’t try to preach. I just drop in a few lines about supporting when I hear someone share their story,” Chris said. “It means something to give with a group of people who care about the same things.” 

Though she missed a recent Grand Rounds event hosted by Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Foundation, Chris stays closely connected to updates about oncology programs, including the latest advancements happening at Novant Health Derrick L. Davis Cancer Institute. Her best friend’s husband received care there, and Chris remembers the compassion and kindness she witnessed firsthand. 

What motivates Chris most is the promise of progress. She gives not just for today’s patients but for future generations. “You don’t ever get over it. It doesn’t matter if they’re six months old or 60. There’s no difference,” she said. “But we can do something about it.” 

Together, we can lift others. 

When you support through Giving. Serving. Together., you help patients access life-changing care, lift team members and build healthier communities for all of us. 

There are so many ways to make a difference. Whether you give or volunteer, your compassion moves our mission forward. 

Get involved:  

• Give today, visit: Giving. Serving. Together. – Novant Health Foundation 
• Serve with us, volunteer through: Login | Novant Health Cares