Matthew Willis Honored

Dallas-area organizations and newspapers are coming to learn something that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has known all along - Matthew Willis is one amazing teen!  Willis, son of tournament co-founder Jim Willis, is burning up the press with his new awards and well deserved recognition.  Here at LLS, we wanted an opportunity to brag on Willis and let you know what a force he is in the fundraising world.

D Magazine's Sweet Charity featured Willis in an article called "You're Never Too Young to Raise $$$."  The Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals named Matthew the 2009's Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy. The winners of the seven other categories at the award ceremony were all adults with years of professional fundraising experience under their belts. Matthew won because of his passion, drive and desire to find a cure to blood cancers.

D Magazine isn't the only publication that's touting Matthew's fundraising prowress. In October, the Dallas Morning News did a feature article on Willis in their Neighbors section.  The piece, 'Matthew Willis of Irving Named Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy by Greater Dallas Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals', featured how Matthew's involvement in the tournament has increased since he first started fundraising nine years ago.

This year Willis is doing more than just fundraising.  He is serving as the president of the junior golf committee, currently in its first year.  Already he has recruited help for this committee from his friends and professional golfer, Phil Mickelson. 

Willis was only two years old when his father lost his battle with leukemia in 1997. While Matthew was too young to remember his father, he looks as the Links Fore Leukemia golf tournament as a way to connect with his father. The first year Willis, then 9 years old, participated in the tournament he raised over $12,000. To date, he has raised more than $71,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Tournament Details

The 14th Annual Links Fore Leukemia Golf tournament is returning to the Glenneagles Country Club in 2010. The tournament is scheduled for May 10, 2010. The shotgun start is at 8:30am! We look forward to seeing you out there.

2009 Results

Thank you to our sponsors, players, and fundraisers who helped make the 2009 Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament a huge success!  Because of your support, we raised over $171,000 for blood cancer research!  THANK YOU!

History 

The Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament was created by Jim Willis and Bob Barker in 1997 to increase awareness of leukemia and to raise funds to support research and patient services programs for families affected by leukemia.

Several months after the inaugural tournament, Jim Willis lost his personal battle with leukemia at the age of 37.  The Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament has been a forum to honor Jim and all who are touched by blood cancers in North Texas communities. 

In the last thirteen years, the tournament has raised over $2.47 million in contributions toward the fight against leukemia, and has a strong corporate support and individual participation.  Since inception, the tournament has experienced significant growth.  Links Fore Leukemia is continuously ranked as one of the top charity golf tournaments in the Metroplex by the Dallas Business Journal. 

Our Founders

Jim Willis was diagnosed with ALL in March of 1994.  The news of his diagnoses came when his oldest child was two and the second was on the way.  A 34 year old Jim and his wife Margaret had just moved into a new home two weeks earlier.  Jim underwent a bone marrow transplant in May and leukocyte transfusion in November, his younger sister as the donor each time, but sadly, Jim lost his battle with leukemia in June of 1997. 

Jim was born in Austin and grew up in Borger, Texas.  He attended and graduated with highest honors from the University of Texas in Austin where he majored in business and earned both BBA and MBA degrees.  Following his graduation in 1983, he was employed by Arthur Andersen where he worked throughout his professional career.  Jim and Margaret dePingre married on November 3, 1990.  Jim was actively involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Dallas Cystic Fibrosis Society and was also a member of the Texas Society of CPA's.  He is remembered as a tender-hearted, loving, patient gentleman of highest Christian moral principles who loved his family dearly.