William Brock is a husband, father, acclaimed lawyer, photographer, author and… a leukemia survivor. On February 17th 2005, Brock received a life-saving stem-cell transplant and as his new cells blossomed, so did his mission: fund life-saving blood cancer research and empower those in treatment.
His projects are impactful and his link to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC) is profound. In 2012, Brock launched his book Portraits of Hope: an inspirational gem that illustrates the stories of 47 blood cancer survivors. Portraits of Hope featured people in treatment, cancer survivors, advocates and allies of the blood cancer community. In 2013, his support significantly helped in the creation of the Step by Step guide, a Quebec-driven LLSC booklet to help patients become an advocate within their medical team. He has long been an LLSC campaign trailblazer, having been actively involved in numerous Team in Training events and in supporting the Light The Night Walk. In 2015, in an effort to further stem-cell research in Montreal, Brock founded The Maryse and William Brock Chair in Applied Research into Stem-Cell Transplantation.
As we head into 2020, Brock has already launched what is perhaps his greatest venture yet: in July 2020 he will lead a team and climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest free-standing mountain. His goal: raise $1 million for lifesaving blood cancer research. This initiative will not only be a testament of philanthropic leadership but also a celebration of survivorship, marking what will be the 15th anniversary of Brock’s successful treatment for leukemia.
As a blood cancer survivor, Brock has dedicated what he refers to as his “second life” to living every moment to the fullest, and more importantly to creating an incredible legacy of giving. He believes we should all be measured not only by what we have done, but also by what we have given.