Photo: Marshall Morris, Founder of Dying Defiantly, tells the group his story.
CARMEL, IN – This month, Synergize’s 4:30 Meetup focused on an important question: What would you do if tonight was your last night on Earth?
Over a hundred people gathered at 3Up on August 23rd to explore their answers, make new friends, and support a local cause. “I’ve heard people say, ‘You only live once’ – but the truth is, you only die once,” said Jason Ulm, who spoke at the event. “You live every day.”
Marshall Morris, a Synergize Legacy member, shared his own experience with death during the meetup. Morris is the founder of Dying Defiantly, this 4:30 Meetup’s nonprofit beneficiary. Through strategic resources, counseling, and community, Dying Defiantly helps terminal patients and their families prepare fully for death and live their remaining days with joy.
Morris founded Dying Defiantly (eight days after being diagnosed with stage 4 bile duct cancer during the summer of 2021. Over the next several months, he tried surgeries and treatments to slow the cancer’s aggressive growth, but nothing stuck. In January 2022, he received his final prognosis; 6 months.
Today, Marshall is more than a month past his self-titled “expiration date”. He spends his days enjoying the company of his friends and family, sharing his story, and pouring into the people he serves through Dying Defiantly. “I want to show people that life is a gift,” he said. “Every day is a gift to me. Everyone else is living their gift right now, too.”
Each month, Synergize collects a portion of each membership and guest ticket to give to the event’s featured nonprofit. This month, they will donate $2,625 to Dying Defiantly. “Every person at that meetup – and some that aren’t – are a part of that impact,” said Heather Hunter, Director of Marketing at Synergize. “For a lot of us, there’s no way we could donate that much alone. But when we come together as a whole, we end up with a much bigger ripple.”
Next month, Synergize will benefit the Indiana Health Fund, a non-profit helping financially-eligible Hoosiers pay off significant medical debt. Between meetups, Synergize builds deep, authentic community between its members through personal introductions and smaller, more intimate events. To learn more about the group, visit www.synergizeindy.com.