By Melissa Wentarmini
Associate Editor
When Danielle Beverly picks up the phone in New Orleans, she’s already been up for hours — her day well underway before most people have finished breakfast. The contrast between her calm tone and the pace of her life says everything: She moves quickly, but never seems rushed.
That balance of grace and determination defines her. A former college athlete and high school basketball coach, Beverly has faced breast cancer four times, most recently a Stage IV metastatic diagnosis in 2022. Her voice carries the easy confidence of someone who’s fought hard battles and found meaning on the other side.
The conversation isn’t centered on illness, but on endurance — on what it means to keep building something that lasts.
“I’ve had cancer four times, and I’ve beat it,” she said. “I’ve stayed strong in my faith, I’ve had great doctors and I’ve gotten through it. Now it’s about helping others do the same — in whatever way they need.”
From survival to stewardship
In 2006, Beverly and her husband, former NFL player Eric Beverly, founded The Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation with a simple goal: remove the financial barriers that keep cancer patients from receiving care.
“Our mission from the very beginning was to support people so they could get the care they needed and not let financial barriers stand in the way,” said Beverly, who grew up in Munising. “Back then, we were very grassroots — we started it with our own donation.”
Two decades later, the foundation has evolved into a lifeline for Alger County residents. Its programs — the CHAMP Fund, Fueling Hope Program, Angel Closet and Eric & Danielle Beverly Scholarship Fund — tackle everything from transportation and lodging to wigs, groceries and scholarships for students pursuing medical careers.
According to the foundation’s 2024 Michigan Impact Report, the organization filled $29,518 in grant requests last year, awarding 51 grants for transportation, lodging, groceries, utilities and insurance assistance. Seventeen additional residents were introduced to resources through Fueling Hope.
“That’s in a county of fewer than 9,000 people,” Beverly said. “It shows you how great the need is — and how generous our community has been in meeting it.”
Meeting people where they are
When new applications come in, Beverly often makes the calls herself.
“A lot of people think we just pay medical bills,” she said. “But I ask questions — where they’re getting treatment, what their home situation looks like — because everyone’s cancer journey is different.”
One recent applicant mentioned she and her husband planned to keep their house cold all winter because they couldn’t afford to fill their fuel tank.
“When I told her we could help, she said, ‘Really?’” Beverly said. “It’s moments like that — that’s why we do what we do.”
Her philosophy is simple: Meet people in the middle of the fight, not just at the beginning or the end.
“You have the diagnosis, you have a cure and then you have every day in between,” she said. “People forget about that part — you still have to keep the lights on, feed your family, show up for your life.”
And in rural northern Michigan, treatment often means travel.
“You don’t save money for a cancer diagnosis,” Beverly said. “Nobody does. You’re saving for retirement or a family trip — not for a $10,000 deductible or a month of gas to get to treatment.”
She knows what that burden looks like. Many Alger County patients drive daily to Marquette or Escanaba — or even to Marshfield, Wis., or the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for radiation.
“That’s hours on the road every day,” she said. “Fuel, hotels, food — it adds up fast. When we can step in and cover some of those costs, it gives people the breathing room to focus on healing.”
That breathing room is also emotional.
“When I talk to someone who’s newly diagnosed, I remind them they’re not alone,” she said. “If they don’t have a caregiver, I tell them, ‘I’ll walk this with you.’”
Prevention, advocacy and the power of ‘no’
October may be Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but Beverly sees it as something broader: “It’s not just about awareness. It’s about ownership.”
A study published in September in The British Medical Journal followed more than 400,000 women in Sweden for 25 years. Researchers found that those who missed their first breast cancer screening had a 40% higher long-term risk of dying from the disease.
For Beverly, that data hits close to home.
“It’s one thing to tell women to get screened; it’s another to make sure they can actually afford to go,” she said. “If your insurance won’t cover it or you can’t take time off work, that first mammogram might never happen. That’s where we come in.”
Her message extends beyond cost.
“If something feels off, speak up,” she said. “Even if your doctor says, ‘You’re too young,’ or ‘You don’t have a family history,’ say, ‘No. This is my body.’”
Beverly remembers being told her insurance might not cover an early mammogram.
“I said, ‘That’s fine — better safe than sorry.’ And I’m thankful I did, because that mammogram found cancer the lump didn’t,” she said.
For those who can’t pay out of pocket, she has a simple reminder: Call her foundation.
“If you’re told you should get a test but your insurance won’t cover it, let us know,” she said. “That’s something we can assist with.”
Neighbors helping neighbors
Part of the foundation’s staying power, approaching its 20th year, comes from the trust it’s built locally.
“People believe in what we’re doing because they know the money stays right here,” Beverly said. “Ten dollars can go quite far in our community. People see the benefits. They hear them. They know this money stays local.”
She credits that success to volunteers and local businesses who make their annual Stake the Lake charity walk possible.
“When we started in 2017, maybe 70 people showed up,” she said. “Last year, nearly 600 participated. It’s become both a celebration and a remembrance — a way to honor those we’ve lost and stand with those still fighting.”
Beverly is quick to share credit.
“Sue and Dave Passinault — they’re our boots on the ground,” she said. “We couldn’t do Stake the Lake without them. And Putvin Pharmacy has been incredible. Jeff helps patients find drug programs that drop their medication costs. If you don’t know how to do that research, you might stop taking the drug.”
Her gratitude is plainspoken and genuine.
“Our family name is on the foundation, but it’s really not about us,” she said. “It belongs to Alger County. We’re just the vessel.”
A different kind of nonprofit
In a world of multimillion-dollar charities and corporate campaigns, the Beverly Family Foundation runs on something far more elemental: trust, compassion and the quiet strength of a rural community.
“There are very few organizations that help individuals directly,” Beverly said. “Most nonprofits are focused on research or finding a cure. I wish more would look at the day-to-day needs of patients. That’s the part of cancer care we can actually fix right now.”
That philosophy has earned the foundation steady local support and kept operating costs low — no salaries, no office, no bureaucracy.
“When you donate here,” Beverly said, “you’re literally helping your neighbor.”
Her dream is to secure a permanent endowment.
“My biggest hope is that one day someone will believe in us enough to make sure this work continues for generations,” she said. “There’s always going to be cancer. There’s always going to be need.”
Living beyond
Despite the challenges she has faced, Beverly’s voice carries calm assurance.
“When you get that diagnosis, it feels like a roadblock,” she said. “But later you realize it was just a speed bump in life.”
She pauses, her tone softening.
“We all have the ability to make our community better,” she said. “And it doesn’t take a lot — just kindness. That’s what’s kept us going for almost 20 years. Just neighbors helping neighbors.”
Then, after a beat: “You don’t save money for a cancer diagnosis,” she said quietly. “But what you can save — and share — is hope. That’s what we’re doing here.”