Our Mission


Fort Wayne is blessed with a wide array of gifted cancer doctors — medical and radiation oncologists, hematologists, surgeons — as well as top-notch hospitals and treatment facilities.
But no matter how skilled our medical community is at treating cancer, successful outcomes depend on timely adherence to treatment protocols, which often require patients to make multiple visits over multiple weeks to one or more locations. This poses a real hardship for many: they can’t afford the gas for repeated treatments. This problem is compounded by steadily rising fuel costs.
The result? Tragically, some patients show up irregularly for chemotherapy or radiation. Even more tragically, some abandon treatment altogether.
The Pat Dyer Memorial Fund, with help from our providing partner Lassus Handy Dandy, provides gas cards to cancer patients who qualify for assistance.
“With cancer, there’s no such thing as a minor expense.”
Our History


Our History
The fund was founded by Bud Dyer, a father and husband of cancer patients. Unfortunately, both his daughter, Jenee, and his wife, Pat, lost their battle. While Pat was receiving treatment, she and Bud heard stories of struggle from other patients undergoing chemo. The cost and time it took to travel to multiple treatments a week was taxing in more ways than one. To help, the Dyer family began buying gas cards for people they had gotten to know through the course of Pat’s treatment.
Before Pat died, she asked Bud to do all that he could to help cancer patients with their transportation cost. He continued to buy cards and distribute them to patients through various medical facilities. In 2010 the Pat Dyer Memorial Fund – a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization – was founded to purchase and distribute gas cards, and to solicit funds from community members and organizations to extend the kindness of Pat’s original notion.
Meet the Board
Julie Wilkens
President
Radiation Oncology Associates (Retired)
Tracy Busch
Vice President
Navigation Manager, Parkview Cancer Institute
Debi Kennedy
Treasurer
Parkview Health (Retired)
Jennie Gruber
Secretary
Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology
Maggie Bakle
Marketing and Communications
Brotherhood Mutual
Veronica Bell
Director
Lutheran Cancer Resource Center
Pam Flanagan
Director
Community Advocate
David Prahl
Director
Lincoln Financial Advisors (Retired)
Camellia Kahkola
Director
JH Specialty
Stephanie Morningstar
Director
Parkview Health
Breck Hunnicutt
Director
PPG Nurse Practitioner, High Risk Clinic, Parkview Cancer Institute
Advisory Board
Glynda Harris
Advisory
Radiation Oncology Associates (Retired)
Sreenivasa Nattam, MD
Director
Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is The Pat Dyer Memorial Fund?
Are donations made tax deductible?
How are donations to The Pat Dyer Memorial Fund used?
Are there any Pat Dyer Memorial Fund employees?
What is PDMF’s tax ID number?
Can I donate in honor or in memory of someone?
What does being a Friend of Pat Dyer mean?
Where do I mail my donations?
The Pat Dyer Memorial Fund
6041 Stellhorn Road, Box 15282
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46885