When KU alumnus Kyle Mead, c’92, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2018, he was told that treatment options were slim to none. That was, until he was referred to the University of Kansas Cancer Center.
“Dr. Gary Doolittle was on the team caring for me,” Mead says. “He immediately tested me for BRAF mutation and got me enrolled in a targeted therapy clinical trial. In order for me to start the trial in a timely manner, he personally delivered the medication to my home on a Sunday.”
Cancer research and philanthropy are important to Mead, a Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) alumnus. When he was a student at KU, the FIJI chapters at KU and K-State teamed up annually to run the game ball between campuses for a football game. The fundraiser honored a FIJI brother who had died from leukemia, and all proceeds went to leukemia research.
Now, during his own cancer journey, Mead is one of the original supporters of Greeks United, a coalition of KU Greek life working together to raise money for blood cancer research and treatment at KU Cancer Center. The cause began with members of 11 KU fraternities partnering in fall 2024. So far, Greeks United has raised more than $100,000.
“The Greek system at KU has always been very active and generous with philanthropy,” says Al Simmons, alumni adviser of Beta Theta Phi. “By partnering together, we have a chance to save the lives of family, friends and neighbors battling cancer—right here, right now in Kansas City.”
In 2026, Greeks United will expand to include sororities and other undergraduate housing groups in a campuswide event in fall: Hawk-A-Thon 2026. Modeled after an event at Penn State, Hawk-A-Thon will feature singing, dancing and performance, with the goal of supporting research by helping raise $10 million to fund the opening of an entire floor at the cancer center.
Greeks United is planning an alumni event on April 11 in support of KU Cancer Center and to build momentum for Hawk-A-Thon. The April event will feature live music and raise money and awareness for cancer research.
“We’re super excited that sororities have now embraced this cause,” says student Jackson Jacobs, chair of Hawk-A-Thon. “This is truly Greeks united to help Roy Jensen (KU Cancer Center director) build a state-of-the-art cancer research center right here in our region.”
For Mead, supporting Greeks United is not only philanthropic, but also personal. The spirit of giving he first experienced as a KU student and FIJI brother continues with Greeks United, a testament to how well the KU community bands together for important causes.
“I can’t think of a better way to continue my journey than getting behind Greeks United,” Mead says. “This facility will be at the forefront of an unprecedented wave of innovation that will give new hope to Kansans and others in the Midwest region who are suffering from a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.”
If you’re interested in supporting Greeks United, you can give directly to its blood cancer research fund through KU Endowment. For more information, contact Jackson Jacobs, chair of Hawk-A-Thon.
