Profiles

Scarlett Callahan

Scarlett received a Leukemia diagnosis at 22 years-old and grappled with Graft Versus Host Disease for several years thereafter, briefly halting her fundraising career in animal rights.

Scarlett leaned into creativity to cope – hosting community writing circles, becoming a registered yoga teacher, and designing a sustainable fashion line for Denver Fashion Week launched her “new normal,” along with advocating for an even more aligned mission. In wellness, Scarlett jumped at opportunities to serve the AYA cancer community as a board member and fundraising specialist for a host of nonprofit organizations that support patients and survivors: Small Choices Foundation, Believe Ranch and Rescue, Brent’s Place, and most recently, Cactus Cancer Society.

Prior to joining Cactus Cancer Society, Scarlett spent 5 years fundraising for grassroots and well-resourced nonprofits alike, tending to their growth by creating successful campaigns and events. Her personal connection to cancer and professional experience, combined, fuel an unwavering passion for ensuring AYA patients and survivors have access to spaces where they are seen, heard, celebrated, and supported.

Betty Roggenkamp

Betty Roggenkamp is a trailblazer in the field of cancer care quality improvement. With over 14 years of experience as an independent consultant, she has dedicated her career to improving the lives of adolescents and young adults (AYA).

Currently, Betty is the project lead for a Chicago-based cancer treatment site and patient advocacy AYA collaborative, an AYA program development strategist for Teen Cancer America, interim staff member for Young and a Survivor (YAAS) a CDC funded initiative with the University of Illinois, and a team lead assessing potential global AYA collaborative efforts for the Global Accord. In her roles she manages teams of clinicians, allied health professionals, researchers, national patient advocacies, and patients addressing unmet AYA needs with the goal to implement change management strategies that positively impact life outcomes for young people with a cancer diagnosis.

Betty is also actively involved in cancer survivor workshops, patient advisory boards, and group discussions to listen, gather feedback, and identify areas of prevailing need in cancer care. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship Working Group with the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Illinois Cancer Partnership Program. She received a MS in Health Communication from Northwestern University and thinks of herself as a care pusher for young people diagnosed with cancer.

Erin Leibowitz

Erin Leibowitz is a 6 year pancreatic neuroendocrine (pNET) cancer survivor and a passionate advocate for young adults living with NET cancer and other cancers. She has several years of experience working in the nonprofit sector and currently works as a consultant writing for nonprofits. Erin lives in Denver with her daughter, Eliana, service dog Maggie, and trouble maker cat, Frank. In her spare time, Erin enjoys exploring Colorado’s many parks and tending to her plants.

Yamilet Cendejas

Yamilet Cendejas is the Director of Philanthropy at Indian River Community Foundation in Vero Beach, Florida. Yamilet is also the customer service representative in her family’s business, Yami’s Ice Cream Shop. Yamilet holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Indian River State College. She is a member of the international honor society Sigma Beta Delta.

Yamilet was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new places, outdoor activities, spending time with friends and family, and attempting to surf.

Dennis Heffern, LCSW

Dennis has worked in the human services field since 1988. The early part of his career was spent working with at-risk adolescents in residential settings, including community group homes and secure psychiatric cottage units, in New York State. His work with youth continued in his capacity as a high school teacher and counselor for the Jesuit Volunteers for three years in Belize, Central America.

Upon completion of a graduate degree in Social Work in 1997, Dennis relocated to Denver, CO, and resumed working with youth as the Program Supervisor for Urban Peak, a homeless shelter and drop-in-center for youth under 21. In 1998, Dennis began doing Medical Social Work with a 4-year stint at Denver Health Medical Center, working in both hospital and outpatient clinic settings. Serving a wide variety of medical specialties, a significant portion of this time was spent working with people living with HIV/AIDS, including time with Behavioral Health providing substance abuse treatment and methadone maintenance. Dennis’ current position has involved providing clinical social work services to adults and families affected by cancer at Kaiser Permanente’s Franklin Oncology Clinic in central Denver, since 2002.

Dennis is married to Jennifer, also a medical social worker, and they are parents to children, Megan (19) and Ethan (17), and recent new member of the family, Layla, a small Goldendoodle just over 1 year old! Self-care for Dennis will always be found on a mountain bike in the foothills of the Rockies, but if the trails are wet or snowy, he just might go skiing. While Dennis has adopted the Denver Broncos during his 20-plus years in Colorado, at heart he is a Buffalo Bills fan!

Diana Cejas

Diana M. Cejas, MD, MPH is a pediatric neurologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She obtained her medical degree at Howard University in Washington, DC in 2010. She completed pediatric residency training in the Tulane University – Oschner Health Systems Pediatric Residency Program in New Orleans, Louisiana. She obtained a Masters of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health at the George Washington University in Washington, DC prior to moving on to her pediatric neurology training at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. She is board certified in both General Pediatrics and Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology.

Chris Stroh

Chris Stroh was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 23 years old and is now enjoying his 10th year of survivorship. Over the past 5 years, Chris has become more and more active in the AYA cancer community, volunteering for Imerman Angels and Stupid Cancer. He is extremely proud to be able to continue to contribute to the community he has benefited so much from as part of the Cactus Cancer Society Young Adult Cancer Survivor Board. When he isn’t working or volunteering, he enjoys traveling with his wife and playing with his daughters.

KM Hammond

KM Hammond grew up with an unhealthy obsession in two areas: storytelling and dead people. Naturally, these obsessions flowered into a passion for novel-writing (the creepier the better), summers spent poring over bones in a laboratory, and many—many—socially unacceptable dinner conversations. Eir resume includes such things as an MA in biological anthropology, venturing through the soulless jungle of corporate call center life, a blossoming list of audiobook narration credits, and kicking Hodgkin Lymphoma’s crusty ass.

Kyle Smith

At 5 years old, Kyle lost his grandpa to kidney cancer. He didn’t know what cancer was then, nor could he foresee the impact it would have on his life. 19 years later Kyle’s father would be diagnosed with prostate cancer and in another 3 years the same doctor who performed his dad’s life saving surgery would also remove Kyle’s cancerous right testicle.

While Kyle may have lost his ability to become a professional juggler (it’s not very impressive to juggle with only one ball) what he gained is a new mission in life. Utilizing his Directing degree from Columbia College Chicago & now thirteen years of art department experience in LA, Kyle founded CHECK 15: The Monthly Cancer Awareness Day. From December 2012 through June 2019, he achieved 68 straight months of new cancer awareness PSAs, fighting cancer through early detection & lowering risk – all delivered with a healthy dose of humor.

Over the past two years, Kyle has been on the Leadership Team for the Los Angeles Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society & has produced the video content for their annual fundraising event. He also continues to work in the entertainment industry & stays creative at home with art & carpentry projects – including creating a backyard cinema so he & his friends can safely enjoy a big screen experience during the pandemic.

Claire Greco

Hi everyone! My name is Claire Greco, I live in Indianapolis Indiana, and I’m an Aries. Growing up, my favorite book was the Harry Potter series, but as an adult graduate school killed my love for reading for fun. I am a mental health therapist and I now read a lot of books related to mental health and therapy for work.

I don’t have one specific hero that I love, but related to superheroes Captain America is my favorite. Otherwise, real life people I admire include Emma Watson, Bernie Sanders, AOC, the guys from Queer Eye, Kris Jenner (a wide variety I know). If I could choose one superpower it would be to control all the elements (yes, like Avatar).

The hardest challenge I have ever done is being a full time student while in active treatment/recovering from. I probably should have taken some time off, but wanted to push forward. My proudest moment is when I received my Master’s Degree in Social Work. Since then my new challenge is studying for and taking my clinical licensing exam while balancing a client case load.

My guilty pleasures are desserts and watching the Kardashians, just gotta keep up. My personal mantra is there is always room for dessert.

The best piece of advice I ever received is to let the small things be small, and the big things be big. How I stay mentally healthy is to set firm and appropriate boundaries with my work and home life, and spend plenty of time with my wonderful Husband and Dog, Teddy.

My favorite Cactus Cancer Society Program is the game nights and my favorite part of being part of Cactus Cancer Society is the community. I was so isolated during my treatment, and I wish I’d had this community back then!