Meet Associate Board Vice President: Ryan Wilks
Throughout the past three years, our Associate Board has doubled in both size and impact. Now with a lineup of 12 talented, successful and selfless young professionals, this group works year-round planning fundraising program to further the impact of the Compass to Care mission. Helping to lead this group is Vice President Ryan Wilks.
As an individual living with Cerebral Palsy, Ryan understands the challenges and feelings that many of our kids often experience during their journey through treatment. While not the exact same as our brave cancer warriors, Ryan remembers watching his parents exhaust every option and go to the ends of the earth to give him every chance at a “normal” life. It was this understand that drew Ryan to Compass to Care three years ago. “When I learned about the mission of the organization, I was immediately taken back to my childhood, watching my parents juggle getting me to my speech, OT and PT appointments while getting my older brother to t-ball and basketball practice,” Ryan said. “I knew right away that I needed to put my energy towards Compass to Care. If our work as an Associate Board can take a morsel worry away from one parent, and get their child that much closer to remission, then every bit of our work is worth it.”
Now, a Writer within Corporate Communications at United Airlines in Chicago, Ryan gives his time to Compass to Care planning Associate Board events such as networking happy hours and the Gold Ribbon Gala, volunteering at many of our events (Catch him working the bubble machines at the Bubble 5K) and developing the strategy and direction of the Associate Board.This Month, Ryan will celebrate his 30th birthday on May 24. He kicked off his birthday month with a 30 Days of Giving campaign to raise $5,000 to help our children get to the treatment they need. You can contribute to Ryan’s fundraiser at: https://bit.ly/30daysofgoving .