Keanu Reeves, who is best known for his action-packed and thrilling roles on the big screen, leads a much simpler life outside of his career. The actor is already well known for his charitable and philanthropic acts since he gave away a massive portion of his back-end profits from ‘The Matrix’ to the VFX artists and designers who made the film possible. However, did you know that the actor has also provided funds for cancer research for years now?Here is a look into how and why the beloved actor quietly invested in cancer research for all these years.
Keanu Reeves’ sister Kim Reeves battled cancer for years
In 1991, Keanu’s younger sister, Kim Reeves, was diagnosed with leukemia (a type of blood cancer). She battled the disease for almost 10 years before finally entering remission, and her brother was by her side through all of it. Reeves dedicated his life to his sister during this time, starting as her primary caretaker during her cancer journey.He took a break from Hollywood around the same time that he was finally gaining some traction in the industry. He even moved closer to her to stay by her side and cook for her. He even sold his house during this time to be near her and care for her through every step of the way. Over the years, the actor has talked about how his sister was his strength growing up and has shared just how much he loves her and respects her.
Keanu Reeves once put his career on hold after his sister was diagnosed with cancer to be with her and help her out. (Instagram)
Keanu Reeves started his own charitable organization for cancer patients without attaching his name
In addition to this, the beloved actor also managed to donate to many charitable organizations and non-profits that worked toward helping cancer patients. Not only that, but he even opened his own charity to help other cancer patients suffering from the disease. The non-profit worked for years for patients without Reeves’ name attached to it.It was in 2009 when ‘The Matrix’ star sat down for an interview with Ladies Home Journal, where he mentioned it for the very first time. At the time he shared, “I have a private foundation that’s been running for five or six years, and it helps aid a couple of children’s hospitals and cancer research. I don’t like to attach my name to it; I just let the foundation do what it does.” Other than this, over the years he has publicly participated in charity events and giveaways, which also included a phone call with him to raise funds for a charitable organization, as well as a 15-minute video call with him to support an organization that helped cancer patients based in Idaho.
About Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves was born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon. His mother, Patricia Taylor, was an English performer and costume designer, while his father, Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr., was an American geologist. His parents separated when he was young, and he moved around a lot with his mother in his early years before finally settling in Toronto, Canada.
Keanu Reeves started in the industry with small and meager roles, however, after 1994 when he starred in ‘Speed’, his career picked up. (Instagram)
Reeves has dyslexia, which caused him to struggle academically in school; however, he excelled in sports as an athlete. He mainly specialized in being a hockey goaltender and once considered going in that direction professionally. However, he also used to act in school plays and theater productions, which prompted him to consider acting more seriously.He started his career by featuring in small shows; however, he scored his first feature film role in 1989, starring in ‘Youngblood.’ This was followed by films like River’s Edge,’ ‘Dangerous Liaisons,’ ‘Parenthood,’ ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,’ ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,’ ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music,’ ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ and many others. In 1999, he starred in ‘The Matrix,’ which became one of the biggest hits of his career and helped him set his footing in the market. The actor has been going strong since then and has appeared in many big-budget projects.He last appeared in ‘Outcome,’ which was released on OTT earlier this year in April. He is also slated to star in the upcoming film ‘Kill Current,’ as well as ‘Shiver,’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4,’ and ‘The Entertainment System Is Down.’ He also made a voiceover cameo as Duke Caboom in ‘Toy Story 5.’
