S3 Ep. 3: “Our Superman in the Fight Against Brain Cancer” Guest Lance Kawaguchi

            When I first met Lance Kawaguchi, I was enamored with his passion in the fight against cancer. But I had no idea how hard he’d fight or the lengths he’d go to to help us win against brain cancer.

On a blustery winter day back in December 2022, I (my podcast) was asked to join Lance on the podium at the NYC Stock Exchange morning bell for Nasdaq. As he and I talked, I quickly realized this was a man I wanted to learn more about. And boy did I!

What made this trip “meant to be” was the irony in it. There I was in NYC during the thick of the holiday season, standing on the Nasdaq podium, for my podcast on brain cancer. The very cancer that took my husband. As I watched Lance hit the button, my heart fell just a little. As I stood there and clapped, I realized it would have been 15 years Mike and I were married.

Mike and I were married right before Christmas. We promised each other that one day we would go to NYC and see the tree at Rockefeller Square; we’d stroll the streets, and browse Tiffany’s. We would do all the holiday things to celebrate our anniversary.

We never got to do that. Yet, because of Lance, I got to fulfill that dream for the both of us. With Mike’s wedding band around my neck, I took him to all the places we wanted to go. I stood watching the ice skaters at Rockefeller, clutching his ring and wiping away the tears. The very next morning I was standing with Lance as he rang the bell and talked about wanting to make huge strides in the U.S.A. in the fight against brain cancer.

Lance’s motto is “working with heart” and it shows in all he does for the brain cancer community.

Lance is an internationally recognized executive leader with over 25 years of global finance and banking experience, and currently serves as CEO of the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. He helps many cancer research and awareness organizations as strategic advisor or board of directors chair across Australia, the U.S. and Asia. Only a few years older than I, Lance has already been featured on the cover of CEO Magazine and awarded the 2022 CEO Magazine Global Not-for-Profit Executive of the Year and the 2022.

With expansion into the U.S., Lance is hoping to grow the impact of his work, and it all starts with his South Pole Trek to bring awareness and funds to brain cancer research. You can learn more by visiting southpoletrek4cancer 

Listen to episode 3 now to learn more about the strides Lance is making in the brain cancer community and his efforts to trek the South Pole.

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Videos:

Game On Glio joins Cure Brain Cancer at Nasdaq:

Meet Lance and support the South Pole Trek:

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