Jan Hillman: A Hero Dedicated to Others
During her lengthy career supporting and raising money for hospitals, charities and non-profit organizations, Jan Hillman has dedicated her life and energy to helping people throughout the Miami Valley who suffer from cancer. She founded her own company, Hillman Associates, where she served as Chief executive officer for 37 years. Hillman Associates offered fundraising, grant writing, strategic planning, and board member development services for nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Perhaps most notably, she has helped raise over one billion dollars throughout her career to help those with cancer and to fund research to eliminate it.
Jan is the former Chair of the Breast Wishes Foundation, a nonprofit organization which provides up to $1,500 to Dayton-area breast cancer patients in order to grant each patient’s favorite wish. The Miami Valley Hospital Foundation recently named Jan “Caregiver of the Year”, and last year was named the outstanding volunteer fundraiser by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Greater Dayton Region Chapter. Jan was also named “A community Gem” by the Dayton Daily News for her work to eradicate breast cancer and help those with it, and for serving as the chair of the Breast Wishes Foundation.
The Jeff Schmitt Auto Group recently named Jan as the fourth finalist in the 2024 Jeff's Heroes program. The announcement partially read, “A true beacon of hope, Jan has dedicated her life to supporting her community, particularly those battling breast cancer. As a two-time breast cancer survivor now courageously facing her third battle with metastatic cancer, Jan's strength and determination are an inspiration to all who know her. Jan is the former Chair of the Breast Wishes Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants up to $1,500 to breast cancer patients in the Dayton area to help them during their battles. Her leadership brought hope and joy to countless individuals as she tirelessly advocated for underserved communities and ensured that wishes were granted to those who needed them most. Throughout her nearly 40 years in the nonprofit sector, often on a volunteer basis, Jan has served as a leader and mentor, sharing her compassion and resilience. Despite her current health challenges, she continues to inspire and uplift those around her with her unwavering commitment to others.”
“Jan is one of the most courageous, positive, and energetic people I've ever met,” said a Jeff’s Heroes nominator. “Even in the face of her own health struggles, she prioritizes helping others, offering peer support, and volunteering her time to bring joy and hope to those battling breast cancer. She is truly one of our community's greatest heroes. Jan's story is one of perseverance, service, and unwavering hope. Her passion for making a difference is matched only by her desire to leave a lasting impact. Today, as she faces her third battle with breast cancer, she remains an inspirational leader and a source of strength to the Breast Wishes Foundation and the Dayton community.” Jan is hoping she is voted the winner of the Jeff's Heroes program this year because she would win a new car and an additional $10,000, both of which would go directly to the Breast Wishes organization, which she calls “her favorite charity.”
Jan Hillman is a hero who has dedicated her life to helping others.
So, what inspired Jan to dedicate so much energy and time to charities and raise an enormous amount of money to fight against cancer and provide other services? She explained, I was 19 and working two jobs, going to Akron University, because I wasn't making enough money to pay my tuition, and I didn't want loans. I worked midnight to 8 a.m. in this greasy spoon place, and the police would eat for free because it was kind of a rough spot. But there were older widowed gentlemen, too, and they would sit at the counter. One of them was a gentleman in his mid-90s, and I didn't know his name because everybody just called him “grumpy,” and he was kind of a curmudgeon. And he would ask me about my classes, my professors, and my grades. One day, I got home from Akron U. and got a letter saying, “You have been awarded the Harvey E. Chambers Scholarship.” And I thought, who's that? And the second thought I had was, I'm gonna put in my notice to leave this place, which was very, very rough. So, I went in to put in my notice, and Grumpy was there, and he said, “So what's new?” I said I received the Harvey E. Chamber scholarship, and he asked, “Do you know who Harvey E. Chambers is?” I said no, and he replied, “It's me.” He had sponsored a scholarship, and it was a full tuition. Wow!
So, his story was that he wanted to go to college, but his family was not one of means. He delivered milk with a horse-drawn cart and never married or had children. But he believed that every person needed an education and that everybody needed a new pair of shoes. And so, he gave them away. I mean, he was LeBron James before Lebron James in Akron. He gave away 20,000 plus pairs of shoes and his scholarship is still ongoing today. And hundreds of us have received the HEC scholarship. He was incredibly inspirational to me, and that’s what got me going to become a philanthropist myself.
How does anyone raise one billion dollars, founded and operated her own company, and help other non-profit and philanthropic organizations prosper, while raising, with her husband, a family of two children? “It takes a lot of work, and not just by me,” Jan immediately replies. “It takes a whole lot of people, a village, and anyone who says otherwise is lying!”
Now, at age 71, Jan is fighting for her own life with breast cancer, which has spread to other parts of her body, and no cure is in sight. She has decided to forego further treatment and spend time with her finance’ Barry, her kids, grandkids, and friends. She and Barry had planned to marry until the recent diagnosis. And, as she says, “Live in peace, love, and joy.”
She certainly deserves all three.