A local nonprofit dedicated to caring for local cancer patient’s everyday living expenses raised over $120,000 last May.

Cancer Cartel, founded by Katy Tinney-Olson, Kerry Solmonsen, and Shelly Tinney-Miller — all three of them cancer survivors themselves — hosted the nonprofit’s first-ever gala event on May 31.

“We are absolutely thrilled with this success, and are blown away that we were able to raise this much in our first event of its kind,” the founders said in a press release. “Seeing everyone come together for such a vital cause was incredibly heartwarming. We are already planning next year’s event and hope to see even more support from our local community.”

According to Solmonsen, who is also the executive director of the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, said Cancer Cartel was uninterested in these gala events in the past.

But the results of this first event — made possible via local and non-local business like Bordeaux, The Kettle, Runlands, Pape Machinery, Oaktree Food and Drink, Stella Jones, Nordlund Boats, and more — cannot be argued with, as Cancer Cartel’s initial $75,000 goal was blown out of the water.

Putting the finishing touches at the event were local television personalities Gaard Swanson and Erin Mayovski, as well as local professional auctioneer Ryan Massey, who led the auction.

Solmonsen said 100% of the proceeds at this event go toward paying for non health-care related costs when it comes to cancer — gas money to get to and from treatments, food costs for staying at hospitals, child care, lost wages, and more.

“We write checks, and we just help people who are in need,” Solmonsen said in a later interview. “We make our processes simplified, because when you’re going through cancer, you shouldn’t have to provide me a copy of your last four tax returns and your first-born child.”

Despite the gala’s success, Cancer Cartel’s ability to financially aid cancer patients is normally limited to 100 people per month, depending on fund ability.

Applications open on the first business day of the month at 7 a.m. The last one on June 3 closed just minutes after it opened as more than 150 people applied for aid.

The next application period is planned for July 1. For more information about the applications, or to apply for aid, head to cancercartel.org/new-page-20.