The New City of Angels
Cancer survivor Jon Imerman’s not-for-profit organization for cancer patients will surely make you proud.
As a cancer survivor, Jon Imerman says his mission in life is to help others battling the deadly disease. So 32-year-old Imerman started the Imerman Angels, a Chicago-based non-profit organization, to do just that. Now four years later the organization is preparing to move into a new Chicago headquarters and has partnered with Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago to market its unique services to cancer patients.
What type of cancer were you diagnosed with?
I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1987 when I lived in Michigan. I was experiencing pain in my groin and went to see my doctor to get checked out. That’s when I learned what was causing the pain.
How did you feel when the doctor told you it was cancer?
At first I was scared, but then as the doctor explained everything I was more at ease. He told me I would need surgery to remove the cancer from my body and that my chances were good for beating the odds.
Did you entertain any thoughts that your doctor may be wrong?
No. I never doubted my doctor because prior to my surgery, I did research about my form of cancer and found most patients make a full recovery after surgery and chemotherapy.
Is that when you started thinking of ways to help other cancer patients?
Yes. My doctor had introduced me to a man who previously had testicular cancer and beat it. He encouraged and walked me through the whole process of chemo and the surgery. It was good to speak directly to someone who had already walked down the path I was headed. That’s when I began thinking about a mentor program for cancer patients.
So did you begin Imerman Angels in Michigan?
No. It wasn’t until I moved to Chicago in 2003 that I started the organization on a part-time basis. In 2006, I began working full-time with the organization.
How many patients do you currently serve?
We currently have 180 cancer patients who we provide mentors to. We try to match them with cancer survivors who previously had the same type of cancer. I know how good I felt to talk to someone who had gone through the same thing I was experiencing. I know what a good feeling a person can get when they are able to relate to other people.
So what happens when a cancer patient beats the odds? Do you stay in touch with them even though their cancer is in remission?
When a cancer patient in our program goes from fighting cancer to beating it, they then become mentors themselves.
What strides have you made since starting the organization?
Northwestern Memorial Hospital has agreed to hand out our literature to all their cancer patients. It is my goal to have every hospital follow suit in the next five years because I know of no hospital that offer this type of service with the exception of Dana Ferber in Boston and MD Anderson in Houston.
Where do you get your funding from?
Most of our funding comes from events we hold annually, but we expect to start applying for grants and solicit donations so that we may expand our staff and services.
What brought you to Chicago?
I have an older brother who lives here and after my surgery I just wanted to leave Michigan and get a fresh start somewhere else.
Are you married?
No, I am not married and I don’t have any children, but desire to someday be a family man.
What do you like to do for fun?
When I am not working to help our patients, I like to go swimming and play tennis.
Imerman Angels is a 501(c)3 organization located at 40 E. Chicago Ave. in Chicago. For more information, please call 312-643-5560 or log onto their website at www.imermanangels.org.
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