Hope Kaser
Assistant Director
Athletic Dining
When Hope Kaser isn’t working to nourish people through IU Athletics, there’s a good chance she’s supporting and empowering fellow cancer survivors.
Diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in January of 2019, and Erythromelalgia a year later, Hope began infusion treatments and immediately noticed an opportunity to help others.
“I was surprised at how many people were eating at the hospital,” she said. “It never crossed my mind that people may not be able to cook after treatment or that the caregiver may not have been the primary person responsible for meals.”
This was the beginning of her work with the Cancer Support Community and the Nutrition for Wellness class she helped develop. Since then, she has been driving for the American Cancer Society Road to Recovery, organizing a National Cancer Survivors Day event, and plenty more. In 2022, she won the Indiana Cancer Consortium David Caldwell Survivorship Award for reducing the burden of cancer in Indiana, and in 2023, she won a Women Excel Bloomington Award for exemplifying the heart and spirit of a mentor, educator, and leader.
Q: What drew you to Indiana University?
A: It’s a beautiful campus in a diverse community with warmer weather and less snow than where I am from.
Q: What do you enjoy most about helping lead athletic dining at IU?
A: I enjoy interacting with all of the athletes and athletic staff. People may not know that we have 24 teams and 650 athletes.
Q: In 2019, you worked with partners at Stone Belt and LIFEDesigns to develop an interactive disability awareness training program for employees. What benefits do you see arising from community partnerships like this?
A: I love this partnership. It was in place when I got here, and we have continued to grow. I think the training is very important for our staff to have a better understanding of how to approach situations that need that little extra care.
Q: How has your work with the Cancer Support Community of South Central Indiana changed since you began offering classes?
A: I feel that, with each class, we become more and more like family who cares for and supports each other.
Read about Nutrition for Wellness
Q: What message would you like to share with IU faculty and staff who are cancer survivors?
A: I battle every day but know that the team I work for and with are here to support me. I hope you have that same feeling in your role, and if you do not, I would be happy to be that support.
