Oil and gas companies rarely make headlines for charity work, but Gulf Coast Western has built a lasting relationship with a foundation dedicated to helping kids battling cancer. The Dallas-based company partners with the Sadie Keller Foundation, an organization started by a young leukemia survivor determined to bring joy to children stuck in hospitals during the holidays.

A Friendship Behind the Partnership

Sadie Keller was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age seven and missed both her second and third grade years while undergoing chemotherapy. She later founded a foundation that collects toys from donors and delivers them to hospitalized children each Christmas. The bond between Keller and Gulf Coast Western CEO Matthew Fleeger turned into a formal partnership that has grown over time.

Fleeger personally donated $25,000 toward toy purchases for children affected by cancer, and employees at Gulf Coast Western spent time shopping for gifts to fulfill the foundation’s mission. When Keller visited company offices to collect the donations, she was reportedly surprised by how much the team had gathered on her behalf.

Growing Impact

What began as a single-hospital toy drive has expanded considerably. The Sadie Keller Foundation now serves cancer patients in eleven hospitals nationwide, a jump in scale that supporters credit partly to contributions from companies like Gulf Coast Western. The foundation also uses its platform to push for greater research funding and public awareness around pediatric cancer.

For a company whose core business involves drilling and extraction, the partnership offers a different kind of visibility. Executives at Gulf Coast Western have said the relationship reflects broader values around community involvement, values that Fleeger has carried through several ventures over his career. The foundation continues to rely on annual support from donors and corporate partners to keep its holiday toy program running for families navigating one of the hardest years of their lives. Refer to this article for related information.

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