Denver Tech Center
Join us for a quick one hour meeting to learn more about our organization, the Denver Tech Center Group, and how being a member will help you accomplish your goals!
- Day: Thursdays
- Time: 9:00am - 10:15am
- Morgan Adams Foundation
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Address
5303 E. Evans Avenue, Suite 200
Denver CO, 80222 - Office Number (720) 257-3304
- Website https://morganadamsfoundation.org/
Claudia Maniatis
Morgan Adams Foundation
Director of Leukemia Programs
Non-profit
Bio
I moved to Colorado from Ann Arbor, Mi in 1990 via a one-way Greyhound bus ticket. I had taken time off from college, having attended Miami University of Ohio for two years, and decided fulfill my dream of living in Colorado. I lived in Breckenridge for more than five years and then moved to Denver to finish my degree - finally earning a Bachelors of Science in Communication and Journalism from Metro in Denver.
I worked in the public relations industry for several years and then "retired" once I had my first son. A few sons later I got my certification to teach yoga (which I continue to do) as well as managed one of the CorePower Yoga studios for several years.
My biggest joy and accomplishment in life has been raising three amazing boys. However, in the raising of my youngest son, Will, I suffered the biggest heartbreak of my life when he was diagnosed and then died of acute myeloid leukemia when he was 15 years old.
As a result of walking alongside Will, during the ups and downs of treatment and, then, hospice care I learned so much about the harsh realities of childhood cancer. One of which is the severe lack of funding for childhood cancer research in particular.
Will didn't have any good options for treatment of his particular type of leukemia due to that lack of funding and he became another statistic because of the inattention to funding and advocacy. My promise to Will was I would keep his fighting spirit alive and make a difference for other young cancer fighters like him.
Will died in February of 2020 and shortly thereafter I created the WillStrong Cancer Foundation, dedicated to funding research for more hard-to-treat childhood cancer blood cancers that are particularly under funded and aggressive.
Since inception WillStrong has donated $650,000.
At the end of 2024 I merged WillStrong with another similarly missioned nonprofit, the Morgan Adams Foundation. I now serve as the Director of Leukemia Programs and work hand in hand with our team to grow our impact in funding research.
Will's older brothers are more or less "flown" as they've both graduated college and employed, living their good lives!
I am grateful to be their mom and keep Will as my north star in everything I do - still his "mom" to this day.