about wgt
Our Mission
WeGotThis.org empowers the cancer community to thrive, not just survive, by providing the first nonprofit universal gift registry, trusted recommendations, and essential resources—transforming the act of giving and receiving support throughout every cancer experience.
The WGT Way
Our Promise and Values
Authenticity
We uplift every cancer experience through validation, encourage real conversations, embrace that there’s no right way to do cancer, and push back against the harm of toxic positivity.
Empowerment
We equip our community with tools to thrive, advocate fiercely for quality of life, and redefine what success looks like — having the freedom and support to live on their terms.
Community
No one should face cancer alone — our community is built on solidarity, meaningful partnerships and a shared mission to do the most good together.
Why It Matters
18.1 million
cancer survivors in the US (5.4% of the population)
2.0 million
people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the US in 2025
6 million
the number of caregivers to people with cancer currently
41%
of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime
51%
of cancer patients reported carrying medical debt from their cancer-related treatment
$21.1 billion
cost of medical care to cancer patients per year in the US
elissa’s story
Meet our Founder
In July 2021, at the age of 34, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer just a few days before my daughter’s first birthday. The outpouring of love and support from family and friends was overwhelming, with many asking how they could help. While their kindness meant the world to me, it became an unintentional burden of not knowing how to respond.
Not wanting to ask for help and not knowing what I needed, many people sent well-meaning but unnecessary gifts, like 30 blankets. I love blankets, I just didn’t need 30 of them. It became clear that while their intentions were generous, their gifts often missed the mark of what we truly needed.
This sparked an idea: what if there was a registry, similar to those for weddings or babies, designed specifically for cancer patients?
During my 5th round of chemotherapy, I decided to turn this idea into reality and founded WeGotThis.org, the world’s first non-profit gift registry for cancer patients. It was time to redefine giving and receiving during the difficult times. Quality of life is just as important as staying alive, which is why we focus on thriving, not just surviving.
Say Hello
Our Fabulous Team
Elissa Kalver
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
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Amber Packer
Chief Creative Officer
Sarah Kovacs
Chief Development Officer
get to know
Our Board Members
Elissa Kalver
President
Founder & CEO WeGotThis.org
Jamie M. Jacobs, PhD
Director of Behavioral & Psychological Oncology
Massachusetts General Hospital
Aaron Morris
CFO
VP Business Advisory Services
Highline Wealth Partners
Les Selbovitz, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine Emeritus
Former Chief Medical Officer Mass General Brigham Newton Wellesley Hospital
Gerri Randlett
Fundraising & Partnerships Asst. VP Alum & Annual Giving
Babson College
Jonathan Karush
CTO
President & CEO Liberty Concepts
Kara Corwin
Attorney
Business & Legal Affairs
Moonbug Entertainment
Jason Weiss
CPA & Treasure of the Board
Partner Weiss Accountancy
Eric Kalver
Vice President
Music Supervisor
Netflix
Samantha Shennum
Marketing
Co-owner
Happy Hub Marketing
Chris Suglia
Marketing
Co-owner/CEO
Happy Hub Marketing
Becca Levian
Creative Director
Founder and CEO of Skye High Interactive
