Behind every great mission, there is a heartbeat.
Behind every nonprofit, there is a story that gives it meaning, a reason it continues to press forward even when the work gets hard.
For The Putt Away Cancer Foundation, that heartbeat is my sister, Leilani Davis.
Leilani is more than the inspiration behind this organization. She is the reason it exists.
She is the heart behind the hope.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
In 2009, my sister Leilani was at the height of her career**** and on the precipice of a promotion. She was thriving professionally, working as a supervisor in asset management at USAA and building a life filled with promise, purpose, and possibility.
Then, everything changed.
Leilani was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Like so many families who hear the word cancer, our world stopped in that moment. It was devastating. It was frightening. It was the kind of news that shifts everything you thought life was going to look like.
But if you know Leilani, then you know she has never been defined by what tried to break her. She faced her diagnosis with courage, grace, and a quiet strength that would come to inspire not only our family, but an entire community.
Her cancer journey did not stop there. Since that first diagnosis, Leilani has also battled colon and cervical cancer. Today, she is living with Stage 4 metastatic cancer.
And yet, even in the face of unimaginable challenges, she has continued to choose faith, hope, and life.
That choice changed me forever.
A Warrior’s Mindset
One of the things my sister says often is:
“I have cancer, but cancer does not have me.”
That is not just a quote. That is how she lives.
Leilani made a decision early on that cancer would not have the final word over her life. She refused to let a diagnosis steal her joy, define her identity, or silence her purpose.
Instead, she chose to keep living. She chose to keep loving. She chose to keep showing up for others. And in doing so, she became a light for people walking one of the darkest roads imaginable.
Watching her navigate her journey taught me something I will never forget: faith is not pretending life doesn’t hurt. Faith is deciding to keep going anyway.
Leilani showed me what resilience really looks like.
She showed me what it means to be a Warrior.
A Moment I’ll Never Forget
One of my fondest memories of Leilani during her journey came after she had surgery to remove a 25-pound ovarian tumor and had gone through chemotherapy.
The weight loss was significant, and while so much of that season was painful and difficult, there was one moment that still makes me smile.
We had a picture of her holding up a pair of jeans she once wore when she was over 350 pounds. After everything her body had endured, she was able to fit into just one leg of those jeans along with 1/2 of me into the other leg.
We laughed. We stared in disbelief. And for a moment, in the middle of all the pain, we had joy. That memory stays with me because it reminds me of who Leilani has always been. Even in the hardest seasons, there was still room for laughter. Still room for light. Still room for life.
That is who she is.
And that is the kind of hope that inspires this mission.
How Her Journey Opened Our Eyes
As I walked beside my sister through appointments, treatments, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion, I began to notice something deeper.
Medical care is critical—but for so many families, the hardest part of the journey is often what happens outside of treatment.
It is the emotional weight.
It is the financial burden.
It is the loneliness.
It is the fear.
It is trying to stay afloat while life keeps moving.
Leilani’s journey helped me see the gaps that so many cancer warriors and their families were falling into.
And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.
Her story did not just move my heart—it awakened a calling.
From My Birthday to a Bigger Purpose
In May 2015, during my 40th birthday season, I made a decision that would forever change the direction of my life.
Instead of celebrating in the traditional way, I chose to do something bigger than me.
I wanted my birthday to have purpose. I wanted it to mean something. And most of all, I wanted to honor my sister in a way that reflected the strength, courage, and fight I had witnessed firsthand.
So I dedicated my birthday to her and created a benefit event called “Putt Away Cancer.”
What started as a birthday celebration with purpose became something so much bigger than I could have imagined. That night was not just an event. It was a declaration. It was a room full of people saying that cancer would not have the final word.
It was love in action.
It was hope on display.
And it planted a seed in me that would not let me go.
The Vision Was Born
During that same season, I received what I can only describe as a God-given vision.
Clear. Strong. Undeniable.
I knew in my spirit that this was not supposed to be a one-time event. I knew we were being called to build something lasting—something that would directly support cancer warriors and their families in real, tangible ways.
That was the beginning of The Putt Away Cancer Foundation.
Leilani’s journey gave me the why.
But the vision, the structure, and the work to build it became my yes.
And through it all, we kept moving together—family, community, and leadership locked in on the mission.
So I got to work.
I began researching everything I needed to know to build a nonprofit from the ground up. I learned about board development, policies, compliance, operations, and programming. I poured myself into creating something that could truly serve people—not just emotionally, but practically.
And in December 2016, The Putt Away Cancer Foundation officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
What began as my birthday gift of purpose became a movement of hope.
What began in honor of my sister became a lifeline for others.
A Decade of Giving, Because of One Life
For the last ten years, The Putt Away Cancer Foundation has existed for one reason above all else:
To make sure no one has to walk the cancer journey alone.
Everything we do is rooted in the impact of Leilani’s life and story.
Because of what her journey taught us, we have worked to:
- Support cancer warriors and their families
- Raise awareness about prevention and early detection
- Help ease financial burdens during treatment
- Create spaces for survivors to share their stories
- Build a community grounded in HOPE, FAITH, and LIFE
When you support The Putt Away Cancer Foundation, you are continuing something deeply personal—something that began as a birthday dedication and grew through a vision rooted in purpose.
You are helping us create real impact through our Circle of HOPE and the support we provide to families in need.
This organization is not just a nonprofit.
It is a reflection of what one woman’s fight awakened in all of us.
The Bryant HOPE Scholarship Legacy
One of the most meaningful milestones in our journey came in December 2018 with the launch of the Bryant HOPE Scholarship.
This scholarship was created for students whose lives have been touched by cancer—whether through their own diagnosis or through the journey of a parent or guardian.
Because cancer impacts more than the body.
It impacts families. Dreams. Stability. Futures.
And we believe no young person should have their future stolen because cancer touched their home.
The Bryant HOPE Scholarship is one of the many ways Leilani’s story continues to create ripple effects far beyond what we could have imagined.
Her journey has inspired us not only to care for people in crisis, but to invest in what comes after survival too.
Still a Light, Still the Heart
Even now, Leilani continues to be a light for others.
Even on the hard days.
Even in the uncertainty.
Even while carrying more than most people will ever understand.
She continues to encourage. She continues to inspire. She continues to embody the very spirit of what it means to fight with faith.
She is still the heart behind this mission.
She is still the reason so much of this work exists.
And every time we support a family, honor a warrior, provide a scholarship, or create a moment of hope for someone in need—we are witnessing the legacy of her life in motion.
Celebrating 10 Years of Impact
It is about honoring resilience.
It is about celebrating faith.
It is about recognizing the power of purpose born through pain.
Most of all, it is about celebrating the heart behind the hope.
It is about celebrating Leilani Davis.
But it is also about making sure her story continues to create impact for others.
For the past decade, The Putt Away Cancer Foundation has worked to bring hope, support, and relief to cancer warriors and families who need it most. From direct assistance to scholarships, every act of giving helps us continue that mission.
And one of the things I am most proud of is this:
We have no overhead.
The funds we raise go directly toward supporting cancer warriors and providing scholarships that help change lives.
That means when you give, you are not just making a donation.
You are helping a family breathe a little easier.
You are helping a warrior feel seen and supported.
You are helping a student impacted by cancer continue to move toward their future.
If Leilani’s story touched your heart, I invite you to do two simple but powerful things:
Donate if you feel led.
Share this story with someone who needs hope.
Tell others about the mission.
Help us continue turning pain into purpose.
Because when one story is shared, hope has a way of reaching farther than we could ever imagine.
Her story is still being written.
Our story is still being written.
And because of her life, countless others are being reminded that even in the darkest moments, hope still lives here.
Help us spread the HOPE! Share this story on LinkedIn to inspire others in the cancer community. Let’s show the world what happens when we choose LIFE together. #PuttAwayCancer #CancerWarrior #TenYearsOfHope