As a mother and a caregiver, Wilhelmena Priest, Executive Director, knows the financial burden cancer treatments place on families. Courageous Unsung Heroes (CUW) was created to raise funds for families in her local community and to reduce the financial hardships that cancer can create. CUW is committed to meeting the basic needs of cancer patients, empowering them to take charge of their cancer journey and improve their quality of life.

Her son, Lewis, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 14 in 2010. Needless to say, their lives were never the same. She spent many sleepless nights in hospitals, where she had the opportunity to meet other families dealing with similar struggles. It was during these conversations she learned not all families had access to the same resources—children with the same illness could receive different treatment based on insurance and financial issues, sparking Wilhelmena’s desire to make a change.

In 2016, after six long years of battling cancer, Lewis departed this life here on earth, but his memory and impact still live on in the work we do every day with CUW. Our organization’s phone number was Lewis’ personal cell phone number. It brings us solace to know that families in need can call for help on the very same number we used to call to speak with Lewis.