I first became aware of Chris Nolze when he was a senior at Toms River High School South and one of our weekly honorees WOBM/Gateway Toyota Student of the Week honorees.   Despite incredible medical challenges even as a high school student he was a young man focused on helping others and that has not changed…as a matter of fact he has raised the bar on putting others first. Chris has undergone more than 20 surgeries in his 10-year battle against cancer since he was first diagnosed as a 12-year old in 2007. While he has beaten cancer he has other medical issues that would bring many to their knees…it has only strengthened his resolve to make a difference and the fact he is still living is a minor miracle in itself.

The Toms River resident started “Chris’s Fight For A Cure Foundation” which helps fund studies to find cures for cancer, trigeminal neuralgia, and other rare diseases while also helping families affected by them. The motivation behind the foundation was quite simple…he and his family have been so appreciative of the help and support they have received that they wanted to pay it forward by starting their own non-profit. He has put together several events under that banner and up next is a Noche Mexicana Fundraiser scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) at Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant on Route 37 East in Toms River. The event runs from 11 a.m. to closing and the restaurant will donate 20% of all lunch and dinner bills in which the customer presents the below flyer.

Chris will also be honored when The Peoples Pantry hosts their 4th Annual Gala on Wednesday, October 25th at The Laurita Winery. That event is the biggest one held each year for the organization whose mission is to fight food insecurity in Ocean County as they feed over 42,000 residents yearly and the need is growing. For more information on that specific event, you can visit www.thepeoplespantry.org. Chris Nolze is clearly a young man who believes and lives by the belief that it is better to give than receive.

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