Access to Care

Supporting our Neighbors in the Costal Bend

This year’s Corpus Christi Cattle Baron’s Ball mission moment will support American Cancer Society’s initiatives in Corpus Christi to break down the disparity barriers that many face in our community, and increase health equity. Together we can fund programs to help our neighbors:

Obtain access to early screenings and detection
Find reliable transportation to and from treatment centers
Stay closer to treatment centers relieving them of the stress of travel and lodging costs

Thank you for joining us for the 2026 Cattle Baron’s Ball supporting the American Cancer Society and our Access to Care initiatives. Because of you, families in our community can find hope, answers, and support in the moments when they need it most.

After our Honoree message, our Fund the Mission Moment – an opportunity to stand with those facing cancer and the loved ones walking beside them.

As a table host, your voice matters. By encouraging every guest at your table to participate during the Paddle Raise your support will directly impact our mission

to provide resources to those in need.

Your generosity can make an immediate impact:

$15,000 can help fund one grant providing over 1,600 free rides to treatment.

$10,000 can help fund a 4-week stay for four people when treatment is far from home.

$5,000 can help provide critical lodging and transportation grant assistance for families in active treatment.

$2,500 can provide twenty-five hours of ongoing support through sessions that foster holistic well-being, emotional care, and meaningful connection.

$500 can help fund 50 free rides to treatment for someone facing cancer.

$100 can help four people find answers and much-needed support through our 24/7 Cancer Hotline facilitated by trained Oncology.

Every raised paddle during the Mission Moment will fund Texas Access to Care

Your support will provide much needed resources in the fight against cancer to neighbors in our own community, and will help reduce the disparities and increase equity in the cancer space across the continuum.

For more information on American Cancer Society Resources available locally and nationally please click here.

Donate Here

Mission Speaker

My name is Giles Kilgore Giddings, and I am deeply honored to serve as the honoree for the 40th Anniversary Corpus Christi Cattle Baron’s Ball. It is a privilege to be part of a cause that has united our community for four decades in support of those whose lives have been impacted by cancer.

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in business, I made Corpus Christi my home. This community has given me so much, and giving back has always been an important part of my life—through service with the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, the Ronald McDonald House, and, of course, the American Cancer Society.

In 2019, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in my left leg. Treatment began immediately at MD Anderson Cancer Center, requiring multiple trips to Houston. During that time, I was incredibly fortunate to be cared for by Dr. Jim Allison and Dr. Sarah Fisher. Treatments turned into a successful surgery, and the melanoma was removed. But in 2021, during a routine follow-up, we learned the cancer had returned.

What followed was nothing short of extraordinary.

By that time, Dr. Allison—originally from nearby Alice, Texas—had advanced his groundbreaking research in cancer immunology. I became one of the first patients to receive this new immunotherapy treatment, research that has since changed the course of cancer care worldwide. Today, that work has led to therapies now used to treat multiple types of cancer, and Dr. Allison’s discoveries were recognized with a Nobel Prize.

Because of advances in cancer research, I am grateful to share that I have now been cancer-free for five years.

That progress means more than survival—it means life. It means time spent sailing, continuing to support the University of Texas, and most importantly, sharing precious moments with my five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. These are moments that research made possible.

Throughout this journey, my wife, Lynn, has worn two bracelets engraved with the words: “Tomorrow is a new day.” and “Don’t let the hard days win.” These words have become a powerful reminder for our family—that no matter how difficult today may be, hope remains, and tomorrow always brings new possibilities.

The success of the Cattle Baron’s Ball helps ensure that stories like mine continue to have hopeful endings. Through your generosity, the American Cancer Society can continue funding the research that saves lives, supports families, and transforms what is possible for future generations.

Thank you for being part of this remarkable 40-year legacy. Your compassion, commitment, and support truly make a difference—today, and for all the tomorrows yet to come.

With sincere gratitude,
Giles Kilgore Giddings