Meet Anh Nguyen | Founder of Cancer Relief Foundation

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anh Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anh, what makes you happy? Why?
Every time I saw the smiles of the cancer warriors as they received my care packages, my heart filled with indescribable joy. It is a lovely and magical feeling that giving back has brought into my life, and that is when I realized that I have found something that I can find pure joy in doing. I sometimes wonder: What is it about giving back that makes me so happy? Scientists would say it is the endorphins. Psychologists would say it is the association between giving back and mental health. Yet, many after many thoughts, I found the answer of myself: No reason.

After two years of delivering care packages to cancer warriors as the founder of Cancer Relief Foundation, I realized that when we do things we are in love with, we will start to forget about the reasons-because love truly has no reason. Love does not come from the mind but from the heart, and so does giving back.

So why give back? Because my heart told me to do so. Why do I feel happy? Because I follow my heart.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I learned the definition of cancer in my sixth-grade science class: “A disease resulting from uncontrolled growth of cells.” After taking the unit test, I moved on, oblivious to how heart-shattering a six-letter word could be.

I learned the meaning of cancer two years later when my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. The late diagnosis left my family just a week to emotionally accept the reality before cancer had taken away a beloved one from us forever. Growing up, she was my second mother who had filled in the frequent absence of my hardworking parents. I used to go to the kitchen and hug my grandma as I came home to the warm meals she cooked, and I used to fall asleep in her arms to the Vietnamese folk tales she told. Now, memories are all left.

Loss has a way of making me look at myself through its lens. I have been broken and put back together. I am weak, and I am strong. I am filled with happy memories and sad regrets. Yet importantly, it has a way of connecting my heart with those in the cancer community.

Using all my savings, I started sending the first care packages to the local cancer patients. Weekly Saturday mornings of putting together little gifts turned into Cancer Relief, a charity dedicated to supporting children and adults battling cancer one care package at a time. Rather than a sense of accomplishment, the priceless gift that this experience gives me is the warmth to my heart every time I open the foundation’s inbox: “Your care package put a smile on my face after a long day at chemo!” My heart grows, and my mind opens. While I know that my little gifts are unable to take away their pain nor bring a cure, all I hope for is to let them know that they are in my prayers and to remind them that they are so loved and supported. Just a smile on the patient’s face is enough to motivate me to bring a sparkle of positivity, albeit a small one, to the harsh reality of cancer, even just momentarily.

The word cancer is like a dark shadow that covers the lives of those it touched. In that shadow, those with losses and pains find each other. And somewhere there, the stories of these strong souls become the bright flames that lighten this life. The way they overcome adversity and the way they continue to live this beautiful life inspires me day by day as I encounter their stories. From strangers, Cancer Relief becomes an intangible string that brings me with the cancer warriors out there together. For some, memory belongs to the past. Yet for me, the memories of my grandmother live and relive day by day here in the Cancer Relief Foundation and in each of the smallest acts of caring I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a Californian girl with an adventurous heart, I love places where I can be with the nature. One of my absolutely favorite places is Descanso Gardens located in La Cañada Flintridge, Los Angeles. It is a lovely collection of different styles of gardens, from Japanese garden to rose garden. There is also a spot here with chairs for the visitors to sit and enjoy the beautiful view of a lake and down a forest from a hill. It is an ideal spot for those who love to spend a day to relax, get some fresh air, and take a walk under the warm sunshine of Southern California.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Following the passing of my grandmother, who was a second mother in my heart that stayed by my side throughout my childhood, I was inspired to start Cancer Relief Foundation where I found comfort in helping cancer patients to fill in what I could not longer do for my grandmother. I could have never expected to receive such a generous amount of support from people for my charity. And it was this experience that showed me the beauty of humane compassion. My mission would have been impossible without generous donors who give when they don’t have much to give themselves. They are patients, survivors, and caregivers-whose lives also suffered the pain and loss caused by cancer yet still found room for compassion. They taught me that the value of kindness does not come from tangible value but sincerity. I learned that the way to fully help others is not just with the brain but with the heart. I am forever grateful for every one of them who stay by the side of Cancer Relief.

Website: https://cancerxrelief.wixsite.com/cancerxrelief

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancerxrelief/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CancerxRelief/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cancerxrelief

Image Credits
Cancer Relief Foundation