In May 2019, Leon Henry and his wife, Peggy Henry, received the news no one wants to hear.
Peggy’s leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that targets soft tissue in body parts such as the stomach or the bladder, was back.
One of Henry’s first calls was to Beverly Branch and Lyn Walsh, co-founders of the Careity Foundation, a nonprofit organization serving cancer patients in North Texas. Within 30 minutes, Peggy had an appointment.
“They care. I can say that,” Henry said. “It wasn’t just because I volunteered for them for so long. They care about everyone.”
In that moment, Henry became the recipient of the good work he’d supported for over 16 years. In that time, Henry had become one of the primary volunteers for Careity — doing everything from hauling bags of goods across the region in his trailer to tabling for the nonprofit to being the self-proclaimed muscle, setting up and tearing down for almost every single event.
His long-lasting dedication to Careity and the patients they serve earned Henry recognition in 52 Faces of Community, Fort Worth Report’s weekly series highlighting unsung heroes.
Henry remembers his first time volunteering for Careity — he served as a ringman for one of their auctions. Henry had experience in that space from his previous career in the cattle industry, so he was charged with taking bids from people in the crowd as the auctioneer rapid-fire chanted his way through the night.
He never looked back.
“The reason I stuck around was because they’re helping people that can’t afford treatment,” Henry said. “If they weren’t there, people would be dying.”
Careity has worked since 2003 to provide direct patient services and resources to North Texas cancer patients. Services paid for or supported in some way range from mammograms, biopsies and CT lung scans to assistance in securing professional services from oncology masseuses and nurse navigators.
There isn’t a singular moment of volunteering for the nonprofit that stands out to Henry, who works as a financial adviser in Parker County. What he remembers are the testimonies of clients and their friends and families.
Careity services over 8,000 people a year, according to the nonprofit. From those thousands served are stories in which folks proclaim that they wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for the organization.
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“You get to talk to so many people, and there’d be people who come by and say, ‘You helped my aunt,’ ‘You helped my sister,’ or ‘You helped a friend,’” Henry said.
The testimonies touch Henry personally. Alongside Peggy’s cancer diagnosis, Henry’s father and mother-in-law also had cancer.
Henry and Peggy both supported Careity’s work. Peggy, a nurse, would provide Branch and Walsh guidance with questions they had about the medical industry, while Henry continued doing the physical labor needed.
“We both did it together,” Henry recalled.
Both Branch and Walsh note Henry’s willingness “to lend a helping hand wherever needed” has allowed the nonprofit to divide and conquer and continue providing cancer patients with the services they need.
“His empathy, selflessness, and steadfast dedication are truly remarkable,” Branch and Walsh said in a shared email statement to the Fort Worth Report. “Leon has proven himself to be an exceptional leader who tirelessly invests countless hours to ensure the success of every Careity event and initiative.”
Leon Henry holds a bag with the Careity Foundation logo. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)
There have been about a dozen volunteers who have been around as long as Henry. And although he reiterates that event volunteer coordination remains under the direction of Branch and Walsh, he is the main one — sometimes the only one — providing support for them.
“I don’t say no, I just go do it,” Henry said.
Even though some of Careity’s volunteers come and go, Henry said the support from folks like him wanting to put in their time has increased in the years he’s been with the nonprofit.
In that time, Henry took an additional step to support Careity — 10% of his business earnings from his work in the financial world goes to the organization.
“Leon has proven himself to be an exceptional leader who tirelessly invests countless hours to ensure the success of every Careity event and initiative.”
Beverly Branch and Lyn Walsh, nominators
“With the Good Lord, you’re supposed to tithe and help those in need,” Henry said. “And that’s what I do with them.”
The Parker County native plans to continue volunteering — it was work he and his wife planned to do together after she retired.
Peggy died in January 2020, half a year after Branch and Walsh got her that doctor’s appointment.
Still, for Henry, the work continues. Because the need keeps growing.
“All I know is we need more volunteers.”
Ismael M. Belkoura is the nonprofit editor for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from North Texas Community Foundation. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org.
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