Meghan Lee, owner of Heirloom in Lewes, isn’t one to shy away from challenges in the restaurant industry. However, it is her work outside the farm-to-table eatery that has caught the attention of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Lee is the only woman in Sussex County nominated by the nonprofit organization as a nominee for 2023 Delaware Visionary of the Year. The nomination comes following the unfortunate passing of Chris Wagner, a bartender at Heirloom. Wagner was diagnosed with leukemia in 2018 and died last April. One of his last wishes was for a celebration of his life to be held in place of a funeral to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Lee’s efforts with Wagner were noticed by Meg Malloy, the campaign manager for the society’s Delaware Visionaries of the Year.

The nomination kicks off a fundraising challenge, pitting visionary against visionary to see who can raise the most money. Lee’s team is called Project Generosity, and she has established a goal of raising $225,000 by June 15. 

“For me, it's raising awareness,” Lee said. “Raising awareness in the community, raising awareness about cancer, kind of roping the community in, roping my staff in, and just kind of being a leader and going full force and setting a crazy goal.”

She is confident she can reach her goal and has a strategy to garner donations.

“In the coming weeks, the Heirloom squad and my team of empowered fundraisers will champion 10 weeks of fundraising in the form of 10 stories,” Lee said. “Ten stories of the dynamic lives that have been entangled in cancer’s greedy grasp and the power that comes from harnessing our community connection.”

Lee plans to release the stories on all Heirloom social media platforms, including the restaurant’s website. She feels that her role as the owner of a successful farm-to-table business gives her a platform to effect change. 

“Over the last two years, cancer has impacted the lives of my close family and friends. I have been the cheerleader, the shoulder to cry on, and the fundraiser. I am now inspired to lead my team of changemakers to make a lasting impact through fundraising efforts,” Lee said.

Wagner will be the first story told in the 10-week campaign. And although he’s passed, Lee would like to pay tribute to her friend’s life by shedding light on the disease that claimed his life. Shortly before Wagner died, Lee’s best friend succumbed to the disease. Stacy Fitzgerald, whose parents once owned Back Porch Café, lost her battle with cancer in September 2021 and will have her story told during the series.

The series will also feature people living with cancer, taking them down memory lane and delving into the emotions and changes in their life. 

A cancer diagnosis can catch even the best of support systems off guard. Following Wagner’s passing, Lee learned that her parents both had cancer. In all four cases, Lee said she felt the immediate need to help out in any way possible. The little things, however, are what Lee thinks go the longest way.

Whether it was bringing Fitzgerald pieces of Heirloom’s sourdough bread, a personal favorite of Fitzgerald’s, or a quart of soup to Wagner, Lee showed her support through her craft.  A phone call, text or silly picture could go a long way in improving the mood of the person suffering from cancer. 

“I hope that the connection found in storytelling will spark the seed of donation in our community and beyond,” Lee said.

Fundraising efforts will be at full scale in Heirloom through June 15, and Lee has produced a QR code and will display it in the restaurant for customers to scan. Lee asks that the community follow Heirloom across all social media platforms and go to heirloomdelaware.com to see the stories.

Lee calls the $225,000 goal lofty, but she remains firm in her belief the community will respond. The money raised will go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to further its mission of ending blood cancer. In addition to the QR code, donations can be made at pages.lls.org/voy/de/delaware23/mleeng.

Four different banks told Lee they would not provide financing for her when she wanted to open Heirloom about years ago. They called her a liability.

“I love a good challenge,” Lee said with a smile.