For those in the building industry, success is often measured by the relationships we build, the communities we create, and the lasting impact we leave behind. For New Jersey Builders Association member and industry leader Eric Raes, that commitment extends far beyond engineering and land development. It includes helping people navigate one of life's most difficult journeys: cancer.

Eric has been involved with Crossroads4Hope for nearly two decades, first as a supporter and participant in fundraising efforts and later as a sustained donor and Board Trustee. His connection to the organization began long before cancer became personal. Like many people, he believed in the mission because cancer had touched the lives of family members, friends, and colleagues.

That changed in 2022.

After suddenly becoming ill and being hospitalized, Eric underwent exploratory surgery only to discover over the course of a week that the cause was a neuroendocrine tumor that had gone undetected. The diagnosis was shocking news to him, his wife, and two children. In the days that followed, cancer seemed to surround him. Within ten days, one of his closest friends was diagnosed with brain cancer, his mother-in-law moved in after receiving her own cancer diagnosis, and his brother learned he had throat cancer. Today, only two of the four survived.


Like many people diagnosed with cancer, Eric found that the physical impact of cancer and its treatment was only part of the experience. "I didn't really acknowledge that I had cancer at first," he says. "It wasn't until almost a year later, when it was time for my annual scan, that the anxiety really hit."

That feeling—often called "scanxiety"—led him to connect with Crossroads4Hope in a more personal way through the organization's Men's Support Group. There, he discovered something many men struggle to find: a place where they could talk openly about fears and emotions they often keep from family and friends.

"There are things you don't share with your loved ones because it's too upsetting to them," says Eric. "Then you end up managing their emotions on top of your own. The Men's Group is a place where you can say the things you're reluctant to say elsewhere and be with people who understand because they've lived it."

Now approaching his fourth anniversary since diagnosis, Eric says his experience has deepened his appreciation for the organization's mission and strengthened his commitment to ensuring others have access to support.

Crossroads4Hope is celebrating its 25th as a 501(C)(3) headquartered in New Jersey, serving nationally. The organization has become a national leader in the delivery of comprehensive, supportive cancer care. As it marks this major milestone, it is setting its sights on reaching more individuals and families to ensure that no one ever faces cancer alone. Since its start, the organization has expanded the breadth and depth of its supportive cancer care program to become a national leader in this area, supporting individuals diagnosed at any age, survivors, caregivers, and family members.

The organization will mark this milestone at its Inspiring Hope Gala on October 7, 2026, at the Park Savoy in Florham Park, where it will honor Steven J. Pozycki. Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of SJP Properties. Steve has supported the organization for many years and will be recognized for his leadership, philanthropy, and commitment to strengthening communities.

“Crossroads4Hope is more than any one program or service we provide. People refer to us as a lifeline, providing access to a community of support, information, resources, and professionals fundamental to every cancer journey. What makes us unique is that for as long as cancer is a worry in your life, we help people live through and beyond the diagnosis with strength and hope. Supportive cancer care is care, and thanks to our donors, no individual or family will ever see a bill, said Amy Sutton, Chief Executive Officer.
"What keeps me involved is that Crossroads4Hope helps people learn to talk about cancer, understand their options, and move through the experience with support from people who truly get it," he says. "No one should have to navigate cancer alone." That philosophy mirrors the values of New Jersey's building community. Builders know that strong communities are created through relationships, compassion, and people helping one another during life's most difficult moments.

Cancer affects nearly every family and every community. Through his service on the Board of Trustees and sharing his own experience, Eric continues to help ensure that individuals and families facing cancer have access to guidance, support, connection, and hope. Because sometimes the most important things we build are not structures at all, they are communities of people willing to stand beside one another when life changes in an instant.