Holiday seasons look different for children undergoing cancer treatment. Many spend them in hospital rooms instead of at home. That reality sits at the center of a charitable partnership between Gulf Coast Western and the Sadie Keller Foundation, described in a 2020 review of the Dallas oil and gas company.

The Founder Behind the Mission

Sadie Keller was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age seven. Chemotherapy kept her out of school for her second and third grade years. Drawing on that experience, she started a foundation focused on the welfare of children with cancer. The group delivers toys to young patients, pushes for more research funding for pediatric cancer, and works to raise public awareness about how the disease affects kids’ daily lives. Keller was 12 years old when the review was written.

Her organization collects toys from businesses and individual donors, then distributes them to children over the Christmas holidays.

A $25,000 Shopping Trip

The connection between the two organizations grew out of a friendship between Keller and Matthew Fleeger, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Western. Fleeger donated $25,000 to purchase toys for children fighting the disease. Employees then visited stores to buy the gifts themselves. When Keller arrived at the company office to collect the donation, she was reportedly astounded by the number of presents waiting for her.

The effect on the foundation was considerable. That contribution helped the group expand from serving children in a single hospital to reaching young cancer patients in 11 hospitals across the United States.

Hamilton writes that the company supports a range of charities each year, but that Keller’s focus on kids who miss ordinary holiday experiences moved its leadership. The article also states that the foundation has encouraged families affected by the pandemic.

Corporate philanthropy takes many forms, from cash grants to volunteer hours. This partnership combined both, pairing a company’s money and staff time with a cause founded by a child patient. For Gulf Coast Western, the gift is framed as part of a wider emphasis on relationships with customers and supporters beyond its oil and gas operations. Read this article for additional information.

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