Children undergoing cancer treatment often spend holidays in hospital rooms rather than at home. That problem inspired the Sadie Keller Foundation, and it also drew the attention of Gulf Coast Western, a Dallas oil and gas company that made a $25,000 gift to the charity, according to a 2020 review of the firm.

A Foundation Built on Personal Experience

Sadie Keller was seven years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Chemotherapy kept her out of school for her second and third grade years. She was 12 when the review was published, and her own experience guides the foundation’s work.

The organization collects toys from businesses and individual donors and distributes them to children with cancer over the Christmas holidays. It also lobbies for more research and spending on pediatric cancer and works to raise awareness about how the disease affects young patients’ daily lives. The review adds that the foundation has encouraged many families affected by the pandemic.

How the Partnership Came Together

The connection between the charity and Gulf Coast Western grew out of a friendship between Keller and the company’s CEO, Matthew Fleeger. Fleeger donated $25,000 for toys, and company employees then went shopping to fill the order themselves. When Keller arrived at the office to collect the gifts, she was astonished by how many there were.

That contribution helped the foundation extend its reach. It had been delivering toys to children at one hospital; afterward, it was serving young cancer patients in 11 hospitals across the country.

Gulf Coast Western gives to a range of charities each year, the review notes, but Keller’s focus on children who miss ordinary holiday celebrations moved the company in a particular way. The article frames the gift as part of a broader emphasis on relationships with the people and communities connected to the business.

For a company whose daily work involves drilling and seismic analysis, the toy drive offered a direct and visible way for staff to take part in something outside the oil field. Read this article for additional information.

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