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OLIVIA CLARKE 1978-2025

By Bob Goldsborough

Chicago Tribune

Olivia Clarke was a Chicago-area journalist and publicist who, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, started a nonprofit called Humor Beats Cancer meant to help lift the spirits of cancer patients, especially younger ones.

The group provides grants to adult cancer patients to help with medical bills, and it also sends free humorous care packages to those battling cancer.

"Olivia's passion was second to none. She poured her heart into everything she did - work, volunteerism, relationships, fun," said Maria Black, chief marketing officer of law firm Kirkland & Ellis. "She had this spark of energy that never seemed to wane."

Clarke, 46, who lived on Chicago's Near South Side, died of complications from breast cancer Jan. 15 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said her sister, Meagan Casey.

Born and raised in Hammond, Indiana, Clarke received a bachelor's degree in 2000 from Indiana University, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student.

She was an intern at the Chicago Tribune after graduating and worked briefly at a newspaper in Arizona before taking a job as education reporter with the Times of Northwest Indiana. She then worked for the Chicago Lawyer, becoming editor of the magazine and its sister publication, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin newspaper.

"She really appreciated storytelling and emotional photos, and she wanted to use those photos in big ways," said Natalie Battaglia, a photographer she worked with at those publications. In 2013 she went into public relations, joining Greentarget Global Group, then two years later joined the PR team at Kirkland & Ellis.

"Olivia was a fierce advocate for our lawyers," Black said. "She brought passion to her work and loved doing it."

In 2015 Clarke was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. After treatment, she was declared cancer-free, but her cancer returned in 2021.

She started Humor Beats Cancer in 2017.

"While I was sitting in waiting rooms, I would notice things that you could either get upset about or you could laugh at," Clarke said in a 2024 episode of the Optimism Institute's "Blue Sky" podcast.

"I did find that there were some funny things, so I had this hypothesis that humor and writing could be used as coping tools to deal with cancer," she said.

Each year, Humor Beats Cancer awards multiple $1,000 grants to help cancer patients aged 21 to 49 pay cancer bills. Applicants must write essays offering humorous anecdotes about their personal encounters in dealing with cancer.

"She was all about connections, in every form and every way," Battaglia said. "Whether it was connecting to people dealing with cancer or connecting people with stories that can move them, she just loved connecting with communities. She was very good at validating people and making people feel seen and heard and loved."

Clarke's group also partners with Chicago-based nonprofit cancer support association Gilda's Club. The free humorous care packages for those dealing with cancer include funny books, notepads with humorous sayings on them, sweet treats and socks.

"I was finding that a lot of the care packages I (previously) was getting were for useless things that you didn't really need, and it made you almost feel like you were like a 90-year-old grandma," Clarke said on the "Blue Sky" podcast.

Humor Beats Cancer attracted followers from around the world.

"After her cancer went into remission after the first time she was diagnosed with it, she woke up one day and was like, 'I haven't done enough, I haven't fulfilled everything, and I want more of a purpose, and I can help people,' " said Juliette Galassini, who helped Clarke run Humor Beats Cancer. "So she thought from the get-go that if she could help one or two people, that would be enough."

The organization became even more important to her after her second cancer diagnosis, Galassini said.

"She was willing to do anything and everything to bring joy to other people," she said. "Frankly, most fans didn't even know what was going on with her or when her treatment (recently) stopped working. She ended up building a great community, and that motivated her to keep going and to help other people."

Even through multiple rounds of chemotherapy in recent months, Clarke was a forceful advocate for cancer patients. Chicagoan Tiffany White, 31, a cancer survivor, is completing a documentary about people with cancer called "Do We Really Have Control?" White taped interviews with Clarke several months ago.

"She was a really amazing spirit - an awesome human being who touched the lives of thousands of people," White said. "She talked about having cancer, but not having had it, she said she wouldn't have met all these people and all this community. She prided herself on making sure everyone else felt safe and love and support during their cancer journey."

Clarke's "Blue Sky" podcast episode was released in early December.

"I was struck by her honesty. She held nothing back when talking about her diagnosis, what it was like to get the news and her daily struggles," said Bill Burke, the host of the "Blue Sky" podcast. "And I was amazed to learn of the simple, silly care packages she sent off to people. This was not some automated process, but something she did by hand, slowly and carefully."

"She constantly felt that she was never giving enough and felt that there was always more to give," Clarke's sister said. "She felt she could make the world a little better."

Clarke headed the Chicago chapter of Indiana University's alumni association from 2013 until 2015 and created an art mentorship program at Augustus Tolton Academy on the South Side in 2017. She also coached a poetry slam team for a competition, volunteered in a food pantry and served as a parish leader at her church, Holy Name Cathedral.

A marriage to John Silver ended in divorce. In addition to her sister, Clarke is survived by her father, James.

A service was held. Goldsborough is a freelance reporter. Clarke

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2025

Contact Information:
Christopher Weishaar
Digital Public Relations Specialist
cweishaar@studentloan.org
(515) 273-7140
 


Six $1,500 scholarships now open to Midwest high school seniors
High school seniors from six Midwest states have a chance to earn the scholarships
 

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA — High school seniors from Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin now have a chance to receive one of six college scholarships worth $1,500. Registration is open now through April 30, 2025. Parents are also able to register their student.

High school seniors or their parents may register for the ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Midwest. ISL Education Lending will award $1,500 scholarships to six students whose names are randomly drawn after the registration period. There are no financial need, grade point average or class rank requirements. The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship can be used at any eligible institution in the United States.

Registered participants also receive emails highlighting financial literacy tips, such as the importance of early career and college planning and ways to reduce student loan indebtedness.

“Student loan debt is a huge concern for new college students,” said Steve McCullough, president and CEO of ISL Education Lending. “As a nonprofit, we provide tools and resources to help high school seniors plan so they can reduce the amount of debt they need to take on while achieving their education goals. Students sign up for a chance at a $1,500 scholarship, and we take that opportunity to share information with them about our free resources.”

The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship is open to legal U.S. citizens who are seniors at a high school in one of the qualifying states during the 2025-2026 school year and who intend to attend college, either virtually or physically, in fall 2025. It is a no-purchase-required program, and full rules and details are available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Midwest.

Additional Resources Available
In addition to offering student loans, ISL Education Lending has other resources for families planning for college and for students who intend to pursue advanced degrees. The Parent Handbook consists of valuable tips to help families of students in sixth through 12th grades prepare for success in college and other postsecondary options. Parents of students in eighth through 12th grades can also sign up to receive twice-monthly emailed tips on academic, college and career planning through the Student Planning Pointers for Parents program. The College Funding Forecaster helps families understand the total cost of four years of college based on a freshman-year financial aid offer. Information about these resources is available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/SmartBorrowing.

# # #

About ISL Education Lending
Established in 1979 as Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation, a private, nonprofit organization, ISL Education Lending helps students and families obtain the resources necessary to succeed in postsecondary education. ISL has helped nearly 400,000 students pay for college, offering student loans and other products under the name ISL Education Lending. The organization, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, also provides an array of borrower benefits, financial literacy tools and community reinvestment programs, including support for free college planning services for students and their families. For more information, visit www.IowaStudentLoan.org.


 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 7, 2025

Contact Information:
Illinois State Medical Society
Jann Ingmire
janningmire@isms.org
(312) 520-9802
 


Illinois State Medical Society offers free programs for health professionals to address human trafficking awareness
 

As January marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) is offering a free, two-part webinar series aimed at equipping physicians and other health care professionals with the tools to identify and support those individuals exploited by human trafficking. The series, which is available on demand, is designed to challenge stereotypes, clarify the various factors contributing to trafficking, and provide practical approaches for assisting survivors of both sex and labor trafficking.

Health care professionals are uniquely positioned to identify and assist trafficking victims due to their frontline access and trusted roles within the community. By offering these programs, ISMS aims to raise awareness and offer resources to professionals who may come across survivors in their care.

January 11 is recognized as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and the month as a whole is dedicated to increasing awareness of trafficking, which affects millions globally. According to a 2017 survey of 127 human trafficking survivors, 69% reported having accessed health care services at some point during their exploitation. Of those, 85% sought treatment for injuries or illnesses related to their trafficking. Despite this, only 6% of health care workers reported having treated someone who was a victim of trafficking.

The two no-cost, on-demand programs, available 24/7, offer continuing medical education (CME) credits and are designed to help health care professionals recognize signs of trafficking, improve their response, and ensure proper support for survivors.

Human Trafficking: Identification and Response in a Healthcare Setting 

Presented by Anna Pastor, coordinator, Cook Co. Human Trafficking Task Force

Human Trafficking: Practical Approaches and Resources in a Healthcare Setting

Presented by Traci Kurtzer, M.D., medical director for trauma informed care and education, Northwestern Medicine

The programs are free to all health care professionals and the public. 

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