How One Author Is Using His Book To Lead A Movement

How One Author Is Using His Book To Lead a Movement

81% of the population believes they have a book inside of them, according to writer Joseph Stein. Yet few ever write it. Even fewer write a bestseller.

Christos Kalogirou is one of the few that did. In 2006, he started writing his book, Wild Dogs. In his book, Kalogirou writes about his experiences as a schoolboy at the prestigious Athol Murray College of Notre Dame. It is a story of redemption, work ethic and the value of friendships.

While writing his book, Kalogirou visited his old school to ask for permission about including them in his memoirs. That’s when he came across sobering news about his former schoolmate, Mandi Schwartz. Although they were not friends, the news affected him. “I found that she was struggling with leukemia and it saddened me to see a former schoolmate of mine going through something like that.”

This news would set him off on a whole new adventure. Working closely with the NHL and an organization called One Match, he dedicated the next few years to raising awareness about leukemia and the different ways people could get involved. “The best bet for beating leukemia is to get a stem cell transplant, but it can be difficult to find someone who is a match for your body.” Unfortunately, Mandi lost her battle with leukemia, but he continued his efforts to raise awareness about battling leukemia.

The first is continuing to bring awareness to the work of One Match. Leukemia is a deadly cancer that affects the production and function of blood cells. While it is treatable, treatments are complex and taxing on the patient.

One of the most effective ways to treat leukemia is through stem cell transplant. That’s where One Match comes in. One Match helps match leukemia patients with stem cell donors. Anyone can help them save a life by entering their DNA into their donor database. “It’s as simple as a swab of your cheek. For a few simple moments of your time, you could literally save someone’s life,” adds Kalogirou.

The second part of his commitment is through his book Wild Dogs. 100% of proceeds from the book are donated to the Mandi Schwartz Foundation - which continues to help others that are battling leukemia.

For Kalogirou, this was much more important than making a profit from his book. “I don’t need the money from this book, I just wanted to write a book that made people laugh,” says Kalogirou.

Kalogirou’s book has done far more than he could have imagined. Not only is Wild Dogs now a best seller on many charts, he is currently entertaining offers for movie deals, more book projects, and other creative works. More importantly, he has raised attention and substantial support for those battling leukemia. “I never imagined this support, but now that it’s here, I want to create more meaningful and impactful entertainment.”

His advice to others looking to write a book or create something meaningful is simple: “Value your time. The time that we have here is very precious. Do what you want to do; help who you want to help. If you want to tell someone something, tell them. Don’t have any regrets.”