“SMAC! Sock Monkeys Against Cancer” to Launch Soon! Get Your Pledges Ready! Part I

Meet NoMo!

NoMo is the ringleader of  ”SMAC! – Sock Monkeys Against Cancer,” a new and very determined gang of monkeys quickly organizing to help those with (or impacted by) cancer SMAC! this dang disease.

Right now, NoMo is just a prototype. But, with YOUR help, NoMo and other SMAC! monkeys, can soon be in the hands of cancer patients, survivors, caretakers, friends, etc.

Join SMAC! Nation

Here’s why this really matters: Cancer can be a very lonely existence. Family and friends can’t always be there and sometimes a cancer diagnosis can actually distance loved ones from a patient altogether. It’s tough stuff for everyone to deal with.

But NoMo and his SMAC! buddies totally “get it.” They understand. They’re always there – through the good times and bad. Heck, they’re chomping at the bit to accompany cancer patients to their treatments, scans, doctor appointments, the pharmacy, etc. Whatever. Wherever. Whenever.

My Mom can attest to it.
My Mom and I believe everyone impacted by cancer deserves to hold in their hands, or hug snugly in their arms, a constant, tangible source of comfort and support (with cancer fighting ‘tude) of the sock monkey kind.

So, we’re building “SMAC! Nation,” a movement to unleash cancer patients’ newest BFF’s and cancer’s newest enemy – “SMAC!”  But wait, there’s more. This whole monkey business has great philanthropic purpose, with giving at the heart of it all.

The SMAC! mission is simple:

• Tangible Support – Always: Provide constant comfort, sock monkey “mojo” and a cancer-crushing companion to those wading through their cancer journey.
• Giving: My ultimate business model goal - One SMAC! = Two.  When you buy a SMAC! monkey, one will be given to someone impacted by cancer (model to be executed once the company can financially sustain it).
• Create Social Change: By helping and giving to those impacted by cancer, you will also be contributing to advances in cancer research and programs (also once the company can financially sustain it).

So, doing good to create good - all bundled together in one package.

So, how can you help? Make a pledge. I will soon be launching a crowdfunding campaign where your pledges can literally bring this line of  sock monkeys to life. (Details on the campaign to come in a follow-up post.)

My Mom. The Magic of Sock Monkeys. A Mission.  

This whole entrepreneurial endeavor isn’t just about some random monkeys and attaching cancer to their name. It’s about my Mom… and too many others like her.

The SMAC! monkey line was inspired by my Mom, Leslie Lehrman, who was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer six years ago. No, she never smoked. ANYONE can get lung cancer (‘nother whole story).

 

When my Mom told me she had lung cancer, I started a social media movement called “WTF? – (Where’s the Funding) for Lung Cancer?” to help raise awareness & funding for lung cancer - the #1 cancer killer and the LEAST funded.

Since starting that movement, I have long wanted to give something to my Mom and members of the WTF? lung cancer social media community - something MORE than a “Hey, we’re sending good vibes your way and thinking of you” response or a lame floating Facebook “Tribute balloon.” I wanted to give something they could feel, hold, touch, or even punch.

My Mom lives in Arizona. I live in Nebraska. Being far from her during her many treatments and scan results has been extremely difficult…for both of us.

When Mom landed in a Denver hospital for a week, I wanted to give her something tangible and special to keep when I had to return home. I gave her two sock monkeys my daughters gave to me for Mother’s Day. She was definitely surprised.  She named the monkeys “Hope” and “NED” and held them tightly.

I decided on that plane, on my way to that Denver hospital, that EVERYONE with cancer (or impacted by it) needs a constant companion/warrior in their fight, damn it.

In fact, to my surprise, all of this sock monkey talk quickly gained momentum throughout the social media world. The momentum continued as I chronicled the making of the two SMAC! prototypes and provided progress reports on other aspects of the upcoming campaign.

Here’s my dream: Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer will get a SMAC! monkey not only from one of their friends or loved ones, but from their hospital.  (Oh, the co-branding opportunities and more). Yeah, a lofty goal, but why dream small?

So, get your pledges ready. Tell your friends. Spread the SMAC!-age.

The SMAC! monkeys are ready to rumble.

(How the crowdfunding campaign works, campaign rewards and “conscious capitalism” will be outlined in Part II of this post.)

ps…Feel free to hang out with the SMAC! monkeys. They kinda think they are social media super stars.

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