CancerCare Honors Leader in Cancer Treatments at Partnerships in Hope Annual Awards Dinner

February 7, 2013

More than 175 dedicated CancerCare supporters convened at The Yale Club in New York City on Tuesday, February 5th for the 30th CancerCare Partnerships in Hope Annual Awards Dinner. The event, hosted by actress and cancer advocate S. Epatha Merkerson, honored Eisai, Inc. with the “Partnership Award” for their commitment to supporting people affected by cancer. 

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller with actress and cancer advocate S. Epatha Merkerson

Eisai, a leader in providing treatments for breast cancer and treatment side effects, is a longtime supporter of CancerCare’s free Connect Education Workshops and educational publications. Eisai is also the sponsor of CancerCare’s Healing Hearts Bereavement Camp, a weekend retreat for families who have lost a loved one to cancer. And, Eisai’s Magnolia Meals at Home program has to date delivered free meals to more than 285 people receiving treatment for breast cancer. Accepting the award on Eisai’s behalf was Dr. Takashi Owa, chief innovation officer of Eisai Product Creation Systems.  

Dr. Takashi Owa accepts the “Partnership Award” on behalf of Eisai

Also honored at the awards dinner was CancerCare client Pamela O., who told her courageous story of coping with triple-negative breast cancer. Pamela shared:

To survive something, one merely has to live through it. I wanted more than just to survive cancer, I wanted to live, thrive and prosper in spite it. Kristy [my social worker] was there for me…I could really tell she was listening, that she actually heard my pain, my frustration, my fear.  She believed in me! And she worked with me until I could believe in me again.

CancerCare client Pamela O. shares her story

CancerCare helped Pamela and more than 100,000 other people coping with cancer in 2012 thanks to our generous supporters. Consider making a donation to CancerCare to help us continue providing free, support services to anyone affected by cancer.

To speak with a CancerCare professional oncology social worker, call 800-813-HOPE (4673).

L to R: CancerCare oncology social worker Kristy Case; CancerCare client Pamela O.; CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller

 

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

CancerCare Recognizes World Cancer Day

February 4, 2013

February 4 is World Cancer Day, organized annually by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

The focus this year is on dispelling myths and misunderstandings about cancer. For example, some people may automatically assume that a person with lung cancer is a longtime smoker. In fact, thousands of people coping with lung cancer have never smoked.

Learn more about World Cancer Day.

CancerCare’s professional oncology social workers can help you find ways to talk about cancer to family, friends and people you may encounter in your everyday life. Call 800-813-HOPE (4673) to speak with a CancerCare social worker.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation Launches New Website

July 13, 2012

Check out our newly redesigned website for the CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation, www.cancercarecopay.org.

Some of the site’s new content and features include:

  • Funding status for each diagnosis on the homepage, which lists the diagnoses that are covered by the Foundation and the funds that are currently open
  • Additional resources—including the ability to search the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition database directly from the website—for people coping with any cancer diagnosis
  • A new section for healthcare professionals
  • A new section for funders

We have also redesigned the Foundation’s brochure, which can be ordered free of charge through our online order form.

The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation provides up to $10,000 per year in co-payment assistance to eligible individuals coping with the following diagnoses:

  • colon or colorectal cancer
  • gastric cancer
  • glioblastoma
  • pancreatic cancer

If we do not currently have funding for your type of cancer, our co-payment specialists can provide you with information about other possible patient assistance programs, support services, and additional resources that may be helpful. Please call 866-55-COPAY (866-552-6729) or email us at information@cancercarecopay.org.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Annual Spring Gala Raises More Than $520,000 in Support of CancerCare

June 19, 2012

More than 320 guests attended CancerCare’s Annual Spring Gala this past Thursday, June 14 at The Mandarin Oriental in New York City. The event raised more than $520,000 in support of our free services for people affected by cancer.

Paddles up!

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller welcomes the evening's guests

The evening’s festivities included both a silent and live auction featuring exclusive, one-of-a-kind items including “Best of New York City” experiences, exotic luxury getaways, designer merchandise, and gourmet food and wine packages.

Actress and advocate S. Epatha Merkerson

Actress and CancerCare advocate S. Epatha Merkerson was honored with CancerCare’s “Help & Hope” Award, which was presented by Academy Award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg. Merkerson, best known for her role on the long-running NBC series “Law & Order,” is a longtime advocate for lung cancer research and awareness. Her “Law & Order” character, Lt. Anita Van Buren, notably faced a cervical cancer diagnosis in the drama’s final season, bringing awareness to women coping with the diagnosis.

CancerCare client Jonah Eller-Isaacs

CancerCare client Jonah Eller-Isaacs was also honored during the evening, taking the stage to deliver a moving account of how CancerCare helped him cope with a diagnosis of stage IV melanoma at age 28. Jonah said:

Every time I’ve felt overwhelmed…CancerCare has been there. They’ve done so much more than help me cope – they’ve helped me develop lasting tools to manage the heavy burden of my diagnosis. My counselor, Sarah Kelly, has taught me not only how to deal with my illness, but how to be a better, stronger version of myself.

Learn more about Jonah, and read his speech in its entirety, on Jonah’s blog, GROINSTRONG.

The evening also featured a moving video of three CancerCare clients sharing their stories of how CancerCare helped them cope with their diagnoses:

View a photo gallery from the 2012 Annual Spring Gala on our Facebook page.

CancerCare sincerely thanks all of our supporters and sponsors who helped make this year’s Gala such a success!

Whoopi Goldberg with CancerCare clients Jonah Eller-Isaacs, Paulette Kennedy, and Donna Spano

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

EIF Revlon Run/Walk Supports CancerCare Services for Women

May 9, 2012

CancerCare’s team of dedicated supporters braved the rainy spring weather this past weekend to take part in the EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women in New York City. Our team raised more than $5,000 to benefit our free, professional support services for women affected by cancer.

You can still help us meet our goal of raising $10,000 by making a donation to our team at www.cancercare.org/revlonrunwalk. All funds raised benefit our free support services.

Danielle Marquez, CancerCare oncology social worker and member of CancerCare's EIF Revlon Run/Walk team

For women affected by breast cancer, CancerCare offers individual counseling, breast prosthesis clinics (available at our national office in New York City), and support groups (available over the telephone, online, and face to face). Learn more about our breast cancer resources, including our upcoming Connect Education Workshop, Update on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

CancerCare’s services for women affected by ovarian cancer include telephone and online support groups as well as our toll-free L’Oreal Paris OCRF Helpline, which is staffed by professional oncology social workers. View all of our ovarian cancer resources. For women affected by cervical cancer, we offer a telephone support group.

Founded in 1944, CancerCare helps anyone, anywhere in the United States, affected by cancer. To learn more, call 800-813-HOPE (4673) or visit www.cancercare.org.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Huffington Post Blogger Honored for Coverage of Lung Cancer

November 29, 2011

The Huffington Post blogger Rob Densen is the recipient of the 2011 Global Lung Cancer Coalition Journalism Award, for raising awareness of lung cancer. Densen was honored for his blog entry, “The Last Refrigerator,” in which he reflects on his wife’s Stage IV lung cancer diagnosis, and the lack of funding for lung cancer research.

Excerpted from “The Last Refrigerator:”

“My wife has Stage IV lung cancer. Given the arc of the disease and the quality of refrigerator design and construction, it is highly probable that this [refrigerator we purchased] will be her last refrigerator. The question is, are we also on our last washing machine, hairdryer or big screen TV?

It is unbelievably painful — but sobering and highly instructive — to look at lung cancer that way. Diagnosed with lung cancer and you’re not talking decades, but kilowatt hours.”

Lung cancer is often referred to as being a “silent killer” due to lack of awareness and patients’ reluctance to discuss their diagnosis.  It is the least-funded of all major cancers, even though the mortality rate of people diagnosed with lung cancer is higher than most other cancers, and more men and women die of lung cancer than breast and prostate cancer combined.

Densen is founder and CEO of Tiller, Inc., a consulting firm based in New York City that works with major corporations to develop marketing programs for causes such as lung cancer awareness. Densen has devoted much of his blog coverage to raising awareness for lung cancer, urging more research and patient support.

Learn more about Tiller, Inc. and Rob Densen.

CancerCare is a participating member of The Global Lung Cancer Coalition. Visit the coalition’s website to learn more about early detection, treatment and supportive care.

CancerCare offers free, professional support services for anyone affected by a lung cancer diagnosis, including an upcoming Connect Education Workshop on December 14, “Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Coping with the Loss of Strength.”

To learn more about how we help people affected by lung cancer, visit our lung cancer diagnosis page or www.lungcancer.org.

[Pictured above: Huff Post Blogger and Tiller, Inc. CEO Rob Densen, with Prevent Cancer Foundation Founder and CEO Carolyn "Bo" Aldige in New York City on November 28, 2011]

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Lung Cancer Walk for Hope Sets Fundraising Record

November 9, 2011

More than 1,100 friends and supporters came together at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course in Woodbury, NY to walk in support of people affected by lung cancer and set a new fundraising record, at CancerCare’s 9th Annual Lung Cancer Walk for Hope on Nov. 6, raising more than $237,000 in support of CancerCare’s free, professional services for people affected by lung cancer.

Lung cancer survivor Phyllis Sobel and her team of fellow survivors, “For Our Heroes,” were honored with the “Anne Koebel Top Fundraiser Award” for raising more than $18,445 in support of our free services.

Team "For Our Heroes"

This year’s Top School Team was Molloy College, made up of 70 Molloy College athletes. Congratulations also to our Top Corporate Team, Team Marks Paneth & Shron, LLP, who raised over $10,000.

Molloy College's Baseball Team

You can still support our walkers through Dec. 31 by making a contribution online at our Walk for Hope site,  www.cancercare.org/lungcancerwalk

View more photos from the Walk on our Facebook page.

To learn more about how we help people affected by lung cancer, visit our lung cancer diagnosis page or www.lungcancer.org.

Thanks very much to this year’s generous sponsors, walkers, volunteers, in-kind donors, vendors, friends, and community partners for making this event such a success. See you next year!

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Meet Our Walkers: Stories From the Lung Cancer Walk for Hope

November 1, 2011

CancerCare held its 9th Annual Lung Cancer Walk for Hope, at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course in Woodbury, New York on Sunday, November 6. Meet some of the extraordinary people who turned out to walk with us and raise funds to support CancerCare‘s free, professional counseling and education services for people affected by lung cancer. Learn more about some of our extraordinary participants–and, make a donation through Dec. 31–who were among the more than 1,100 individuals and 70 teams who made our walk such a success this year. Visit the Walk for Hope website.

Meet some of our walkers:

“In June 2010, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer,” says 15-year-old Amber Veritzan, team captain for Team Marilyn’s Fight. “This diagnosis has changed our lives forever. My mother has been blessed with a great support system of family, friends, and co-workers to help her through her journey. I have decided to walk for CancerCare to raise awareness and funds for the cause and for those who do not have the support system that my mother has.”
Team DeLo captain Cathy Buoniello shares the store of her aunt’s diagnosis: “On June 22, 2010 Aunt Pat sat in her doctor’s office and listened to him give her the worst news she could ever imagine. He told her that she had Stage 4 lung cancer and all she could think was….’how could that be?’ Cancer can hit anyone at any time. I am hoping to make a difference and help those who are affected by [cancer].”

Team DeLo

Madelyn Stein will be out to honor the memory of her aunt, Marcia Pearl, as captain of Team Marcia.
“She started going to CancerCare lung cancer support group meetings during her chemo treatments,” says Stein. “The group helped her on lots of different levels. She spoke often and highly of the organization and of many individuals in the group who helped her get through her ordeal. It was a great comfort to her and she wanted to give back. We hope that if you can’t walk with us, then maybe you can give back to CancerCare, the organization that gave so much to my Aunt Marcia.”


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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

CancerCare to Honor Leading Cancer Experts at Annual Tribute

October 25, 2011

Dr. Noopur Raje, MD, director of Mass General’s Center for Multiple Myeloma, will be presented with CancerCare‘s Physician of the Year award during our annual “Tribute to Our Friends”  ceremony, on October 27 at our national office in New York City.

Dr. Raje, who is also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, has been a presenter in numerous Connect Education Workshops focused on multiple myeloma. CancerCare‘s educational workshops are one-hour live discussions with leading oncologists across the country that can be listened to over the telephone or online.

Dr. Noopur Raje, MD

Listen to Dr. Raje’s recent presentation on “Coping with the Stress of Caregiving When Your Loved One Has Multiple Myeloma.”

CancerCare will also honor Guadalupe R. Palos, DrPH with our Interdisciplinary Award. Dr. Palos’ career in oncology has included roles as a health educator, clinician in cancer prevention and detection, and researcher in symptom research.

Dr. Guadalupe R. Palos, DrPH

Listen to Dr. Palos present on “Understanding the Important Role of Adherence in the Medical Management of Cancer.”

View all of CancerCare’s upcoming Connect Education Workshops.

CancerCare will also honor the Dan Ferrante Memorial Fund Committee with the Special Fund of the Year Award. The committee was created in memory of Dan Ferrante, who died from lung cancer in 2005, with the goal of raising funds to support people facing cancer. To date, the Dan Ferrante Memorial Fund Committee has raised more than $100,000 in support of CancerCare’s free services for anyone affected by cancer.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

CancerCare Receives $1 Million Grant from The Avon Foundation for Women

October 17, 2011

The Avon Foundation for Women presented a $1 million donation to CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller yesterday at the 2011 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, held in New York City. Avon’s donation will help support CancerCare’s free services for underserved women facing breast cancer.

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller, with actress and Honorary Chairperson for the Avon Foundation Reese Witherspoon

Since 2000, The Avon Foundation for Women has generously supported CancerCare‘s financial assistance services, as well as other programs for underserved women facing breast cancer. Over the past 11 years of our partnership, the Avon Foundation has provided nearly $14,000,000 to over 68,000 women from all 50 states.

CancerCare offers free, professional support services for women facing breast cancer, including counseling, support groups, and financial help. Learn more about how we help people affected by breast cancer.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

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