The Keller Family Community Foundation Establishes MercyOne North Iowa Cancer Care Endowment in Honor of Tim Charlson
July 2, 2026
Categories: MercyOne North Iowa Foundation
The Keller Family Community Foundation has made a generous gift of $82,500 to establish a permanent endowment at the MercyOne North Iowa Foundation. The annual distributions will provide funding to remove barriers to access to care, such as transportation and lodging for MercyOne North Iowa Cancer Center patients. This significant investment honors Tim Charlson, a local cancer survivor, and a dedicated rider for the Keller Family Community Foundation’s annual Snowball Cancer Challenge event.
For many years, the annual Snowball Cancer Challenge has brought people together to support families fighting cancer. Founded by the late Nick Keller, the Snowball Cancer Challenge was established in 2010 in memory of his mother. The fundraiser invites volunteers to ride 250 or 500 miles in a single day to raise money for cancer patients.
More than 40 Snowball Cancer Challenge riders and family members recently gathered at the MercyOne North Iowa Cancer Center to present the gift and celebrate the occasion.
"We know that fighting cancer is an exhausting battle,” expressed Melissa Ngeno and Julie Dornbusch, Nick’s daughters and directors of the Keller Family Community Foundation. “The hidden costs like fuel, lodging and travel expenses should never stand in the way of life-saving care. We want to help lift those burdens and help local families focus entirely on their treatments and getting well."
The connection between the Charlson Family and MercyOne is both deep and personal. Tim's wife, Tammy Charlson, has been a dedicated colleague at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center for 36 years, devoting her career to serving others. When Tim faced his own cancer journey, that connection became a network of support. Now, this endowment honors Tim's resilience as a survivor, his advocacy for others and Tammy's 36 years of compassionate service to our patients.
“Meeting all the riders and families here and hearing their stories was such an inspiration,” added Josh Guyer, MercyOne North Iowa Foundation’s Chief Development Officer. “This endowment will help remove practical barriers to care and make it easier for patients to get the treatment they need. We’re grateful to the Keller Family Community Foundation, the Charlson Family and all the riders for making this possible!”
