Duane Chaney is a finalist in Invest in Others Awards in recognition of founding Madisen’s Match to help pediatric cancer patients

Duane Chaney, financial advisor at Raymond James in Fort Myers, is one of three national finalists for the Community Service Award as part of the 14th Annual Invest in Others Awards. Chaney is being honored for founding Madisen’s Match, a tennis tournament benefiting Barbara’s Friends, Golisano Children’s Hospital cancer fund. Madisen’s Match has raised more than $1.3 million for Lee Health and Golisano Children’s Hospital since 2008.

Because Chaney is a finalist, Barbara’s Friends will receive a $10,000 donation from the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation.

“Duane is a force for good. He is ambitious and energetic and uses that momentum to inspire others. We can’t do what we do without people like Duane who give of their own time, talents and treasure to invest in our children fighting cancer,” said Chris Simoneau, chief foundation and development officer for Lee Health. “We are so proud of Duane and his accomplishments. He’s a leader who also at the end of the day has a tremendous heart and wants to see kids smile and thrive despite the challenge of cancer. He knows what our kids go through; he’s seen it first hand. This is a tremendous honor and we hope the nation recognizes him with well deserved, top honors.”

The Invest in Others Awards program recognizes the charitable work of financial advisors in communities across the country and around the world. Advisors are nominated for actively giving back to nonprofits to improve their communities and make a difference in the lives of others. Finalists are selected based on their leadership, dedication, contribution, inspiration and impact on a nonprofit and the community it serves. There are five categories of awards: Catalyst, Community Service, Global Impact, Volunteer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.

“I am proud to join such a distinguished group of financial advisors, who have chosen to dedicate much of their time to better their communities,” said Duane Chaney. “Over the past 12 years, our goal at Madisen’s Match has been to bring the community together through the game of tennis to help raise funds for kids with cancer in Southwest Florida. More has been accomplished than what I ever thought possible, and I know we still have more to do to ensure that kids in Southwest Florida receive the care that they deserve.”

In 2008, Chaney’s niece Madisen was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at the age of three. Duane decided to use the energy and emotion from this experience to create a fundraising event benefiting Lee Health Foundation and better equip doctors to fight pediatric cancer. Chaney logs hundreds of hours each year organizing the many facets of the event and enjoys connecting with the children who have been helped by the fundraising efforts of events like Madisen’s Match.

Madisen’s Match is a thriving pro-class tennis tournament featuring some of the best tennis players worldwide. The event has grown over the past 12 years to include a gala, live and silent auctions, tennis clinics with the pros, a kid’s clinic and a full pro-class exhibition hosted in a college arena.

The Invest in Others Awards will be presented digitally from Monday, Sept. 21 to Friday, Sept. 25. The video awards presentation for the Community Service Award will be Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 4:45 p.m. EST on investinothers.org.

About Barbara’s Friends – Helping Kids with Cancer at Golisano Children’s Hospital

Established in 1995, Barbara’s Friends provides equipment, staffing and services to support lifesaving cancer care for children from across Southwest Florida at Golisano Children’s Hospital. The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program is the only program of its kind in Southwest Florida and has served over 8,000 patients since opening. No child is denied treatment or turned away as a result of their family’s inability to pay for care. For more information about the Barbara’s Friends fund and supporting child patients in your community, please call Lee Health Foundation at (239) 343-6950 or visit BarbarasFriends.org.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

The inspiration for the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation came directly from the financial advisors who invest in others by giving back to their communities with overwhelming generosity and dedication. Since its founding in 2006, Invest in Others has amplified these efforts by providing a platform for advisors to increase awareness, visibility, and funding to their favorite nonprofits. For more information, visit investinothers.org or follow Invest in Others on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.