Meet-A-FLiP: Marisa Lee

(Editor’s Note: Just because Breast Cancer Awareness Month is over doesn’t mean the issue goes away.  We’re happy to present this Meet-A-FLiP about Saving Second Base in, yes, November!)

Marisa Lee is an inspiration – and not just to me.  When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, she was not content to sit idle and set about starting Saving Second Base, an organization dedicated to leveraging young professionals (and their funds) to raise money and awareness about breast cancer.  The organization hosts events and participates in other fundraising activities (ultra-marathon, anyone?), sending all funds raised to Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliated organizations. Below, read all about Marisa’s secret life as an i-banker, how Grey’s Anatomy shaped the organization, and perhaps you’ll be inspired too.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell us a bit about Saving Second Base.  How did you come up with the idea? And once you had the idea, how did you actually create an organization?

Marisa Lee (ML): My mother has been living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer since May of 2005, and unless someone finds a cure in the near future, the disease will surely claim her life.   Daily, I face her diagnosis and my life decisions are based, in many ways, on the disease.  After a particularly dramatic episode of Grey's Anatomy, and one too many cocktails, I decided that facing the diagnosis on a personal level was not enough; it was my responsibility to do something on a larger scale.

The initial idea was to simply host an event. Essentially, throw a really fun party for a good cause.  Then we got our first substantial donor and realized we had no name to put on the check.  With that (and the support of friends willing to contribute time, money and effort!), Saving Second Base was born. My roommate filed incorporating documents and 501(c)3 forms and we haven’t looked back since.

Our hope is that by spreading awareness about breast cancer at a young age, women and men will know where to go for support and resources if ever faced with a breast cancer diagnosis.

FLiP: Word on the street is that you’re a Banker. True? 

ML: Yes. I work for Brown Brothers Harriman, a small, privately held bank where I specialize in Commodities Finance.

FLiP: How do your two worlds connect with each other?

ML: I am incredibly fortunate to work for a company that is incredibly supportive of a healthy work-life balance, and is particularly supportive of volunteer work.  A number of my co-workers have been directly involved in Saving Second Base either as board members, event attendees, fundraisers, or donors.   My boss is even running a 40-mile ultra marathon (up a mountain!) to raise money for Saving Second Base.

Additionally, having spent several years in the public sector working with non-profits, NGOs, and various politicians, I have come to realize that, for better or worse, money plays a major role in the success of public sector organizations.  Without a solid understanding of finance and consistent access to financial resources it is simply not possible to effectively fundraise.  My time at Brown Brothers has provided me with a solid financial background

FLiP: What’s the greatest misconception people have about breast cancer?

ML: Younger men and women think that it won’t affect them and that the decisions they make today don’t have a significant impact on whether or not they will face this disease down the line and what that battle will look like.  Certainly, the efforts of organizations like Susan G. Komen have raised both money for and awareness about the disease but I speak from personal experience when I say that we still have a long way to go. 

Every 13 minutes another woman dies from breast cancer and 1 in 8 women will face a breast cancer diagnosis over the course of her lifetime.  Time Magazine had a special last month about the worldwide spread of breast cancer.  Globalization has led to rising incidents of breast cancer diagnoses but education has not caught up and a stigma we have trouble envisioning in the US translates into refusals for breast cancer diagnostic testing and treatment.

FLiP: What’s the greatest challenge you’ve faced in launching/running this organization?  What has the greatest victory been?

ML: As an organization we face two primary challenges:  one being the competitive nature of fundraising, specifically in New York City.  There is an event almost every night in NYC so there is a huge marketing/sales aspect to fundraising in New York which can be somewhat overwhelming at times. A lot of work goes into convincing people to attend your event and listen to what you have to say. 

Our other primary organizational challenge is time.  Everyone who is heavily involved in our organization already has a full time job.  We are an incredibly aggressive group, but there is really only so much time in a day to accomplish tasks related to our organization.

Personally, I would say one of my biggest challenges is balancing my responsibility and commitment to Saving Second Base, with my commitment to my family.  My mom is still battling the disease and finding a balance between meeting the needs associated with that (i.e. researching her specific needs, following up/fighting with doctors, and trying to spend time with her); building this organization into something I know she’ll be proud of and something I know will make a difference for other mothers and daughters down the line;  is a particular challenge.

FLiP: How did you choose Komen?

ML: Over the past 25 years, the Komen Foundation has invested nearly one billion dollars in breast cancer research and other initiatives and has become synonymous with the fight against this disease. The foundation is active in more than 125 communities in the United States and nearly 200 countries globally. It is our belief that in aligning ourselves with this organization and supporting their efforts, we are fighting this disease in the most direct and aggressive manner possible. It was a natural partnership for us.

FLiP: What is in store for Saving Second Base in 2008?

ML: 2008 already has a great deal in store for us. We’re participating in the Mt. Mitchell Challenge, an ultra-marathon in February 2008, to raise money for Saving Second Base (okay, okay, we’re really just the lucky beneficiaries… really, my boss, Michael Vellucci, will be doing all the physical labor!).  We’ll also be holding our annual fundraiser in NYC this May as well as events in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Boston, and  organizing smaller events to raise funds and awareness in smaller settings. 

FLiP: Where do you see Saving Second Base in ten years?  Where do you see yourself?

ML: We believe that by engaging 25-35 year olds to both fight this disease and also to begin giving to this cause at such a young age they can actually make a difference.  In ten years, I hope this organization will be synonymous with that mission statement and breast cancer fundraising and awareness.  Ten years from now I will be nearly 35 and at the top of our target age range so I hope to see a fantastic young professional at the helm!

FLiP: How can people get involved in Saving Second Base, or join the fight in breast cancer in their daily lives?

ML: Women should always conduct self-exams (which I know we’ve heard over and over again but they are, potentially, our greatest weapon and yet the one we are least likely to use) and have an annual exam conducted by their doctor.  Young women should monitor their alcohol intake as high levels of alcohol intake have been demonstrated to correlate directly to increased incidence of breast cancer. Women over forty with no history of breast cancer should schedule regular mammograms and women with a family history of breast cancer should begin mammograms at thirty. 

For more information on Saving Second Base and how you can get involved in the battle against breast cancer, check out their website at www.savingsecondbase.org.