Giving Compass' Take:

• Rhonda's Kiss provides money to hospitals treating cancer patients so that they can determine how to use it to serve the needs of their patients, from medical expenses to rent payments. 

• How does this whole person treatment differ from the traditional methods of support for cancer patients? Is the hospital the best vehicle for the funds? 

• Learn about funding research in cancer research in 2018.

Kyle Stefanski is Executive Director of Rhonda’s Kiss.

What is your “backstory”?

I grew up in Cleveland, OH, one of five children in a philanthropic family. I went to college in the North East, during which time, I was lucky enough to travel to Los Angeles many times for a consulting business I was running at the time. A few years later, in 2014, my mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer and her treatments were to be carried out in LA so I quickly made the full-time transition out here. An abrupt two and a half months later, my beautiful mother passed away. Rhonda’s Kiss was born from our family tragedy: Turning a negative into a positive by helping those in need.

So how exactly does your organization help people?

As believers in whole-person care, we provide immediate relief to cancer patients by assisting with ancillary needs and holistic support. We leave it up to our partner hospitals to know what their patients need to help them through their journey. Money from Rhonda’s Kiss can go towards the purchase of wigs, massages, parking expenses, child care, transportation costs, home utilities, rent/mortgage, car repair, clothing, health equipment, groceries, pet care, prescription costs, or whatever the hospital and their practitioners believe will help them the most.

Read the full article about Rhonda's Kiss by Yitzi Weiner at Medium.