PR and marketing shops marshal support for cancer charities

That’s not hyperbole, but a reflection of the current stats that say 41 percent of those born today will suffer from the illness, with roughly 1.6 million new cases diagnosed annually. Worse yet, 1,500 lives are lost from the disease every day.

Thankfully, there are countless charities and fundraisers in existence to help fight and raise awareness of this ghastly disease.

And often, it’s PR and marketing firms that are leading the way on these charities.

After all, behind each of the statistics about cancer is a story—of someone’s uncle or grandma, of the student with the bald head who sat next to you in homeroom, of the dental hygienist who wasn’t in the office on your most recent visit. It’s stories such as these that communications shops specialize in telling.

Here are three cancer fundraisers that stem from agencies or their executives, each with a story of their own to tell.

‘Be Bold, Be Bald!’ raises funds, creates empathy

In 2007, Boston-based strategic marketing firm Small Army launched a nonprofit arm after one of its co-founders, Mike Connell, died following a two-year battle (and third bout) with cancer.