The Prevent Cancer Foundation is one of our nation’s greatest assets in the war on cancer.  This organization’s creative approach to building collaborations in an innovative, engaging way has been remarkable.  The annual national Dialogue for Action™ is one of the most important colon cancer screening gatherings in the country.  I have been particularly fortunate to be a participant and partner with the Foundation for many years.  The people I have met and the collaborations I have formed through my work with the Prevent Cancer Foundation have not only enhanced my career but have, I hope, helped to increase cancer screening and save lives.  Receiving the Cancer Prevention Laurel for National Leadership was a wonderful honor.”

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

I know that the Foundation was established to honor the memory of Carolyn Aldige’s (President and Founder) father and to strike back in some way against the disease, lung cancer, which took his life. Who would have imagined then how extraordinarily successful your efforts would be today?   

Over the years there have been many advocacy groups that have arisen and a great deal of rhetoric expended, but through it all you and the foundation have been there doing what has truly been needed. Your focus on prevention and early detection, your relentless efforts to engage and educate congress and the federal bureaucracy, and your tireless efforts to keep a ragtag group of frequently unfocused scientists and clinicians together are now bearing fruit in countless ways.

The Foundation has earned the unflagging respect of the cancer community, and I am confident that as our group ages out, and is replaced by new leaders in Oncology, the Foundation will be there to continue this effort until we have won. Thank you.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

Congratulations to the Prevent Cancer Foundation on 25 successful years! We are so thrilled to have been a partner with this terrific organization since 2004. That year, Prevent Cancer funded a fledgling project in the rural northeastern portion of Illinois. ¡Celebremos la Vida! (Celebrate Life) at Family Health Partnership Clinic joined other successful ¡Celebremos la Vida! programs operating in the Washington, DC area since 1994. Prevent Cancer Foundation had the foresight to take this program and replicate it in another portion of the country. The Family Health Partnership Clinic took on this project and crafted it to meet the needs of its community. 

One day each month, the Clinic “takes over” the Women’s Health Center of Centegra Hospital. The Clinic brings in its staff, and conducts a day long cancer screening and education program for uninsured Latino women 40 and older. During this time, women are given pap smears, clinical breast exams, mammograms, and cancer prevention education with no charge to them. The day is made more festive with food being available, as well as goodie bags given to each of the women containing toiletries, makeup and other cosmetic items.  Some of the other activities we have had at ¡Celebremos la Vida! include massages, makeup consultations, nutrition counseling, and music. Each month, over 25 women take part in this exciting program that has received national attention.

Through the years, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has been a wonderful partner to the Family Health Partnership Clinic. The Foundation has funded two other initiatives at the Clinic including a cervical cancer reduction program and a Total Health program, designed to address multiple preventative screenings through an intense patient/nurse practitioner visit. Both of these programs have had ripple effects on the Clinic’s work, and we salute the foresight that this Foundation has had.

Congratulations on 25 years – may the next 25 be as productive and innovative as the last. The commitment to ensuring access to the marginalized has been a model that should be replicated throughout the country. We are proud of our affiliation with Prevent Cancer Foundation and look forward to continuing to work with them in this important area.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

 “The National Dialogue for Action meeting on colorectal cancer is the only meeting I attend where survivors, advocates, public health, providers and researchers come together to discuss meaningful ways to advance the effort to reduce suffering from colorectal cancer. Normally, it’s just one or two of these groups in the room at meetings, but the Dialogue brings us all together, and that is magical! I always come away from the meeting recharged with new friends, colleagues and ideas on how to further our work in the area. It has been a real privilege to be involved as a planner, speaker and to attend each year.”

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

In my opinion one of the most remarkable achievements of the Prevent Cancer Foundation is the leadership it has shown over the past quarter century in transforming cancer prevention from an “impossible dream” into a tenable reality. This took insight, courage, persistence, skill, and astute research, the same characteristics that will drive the mission to completion.

For its achievements the Prevent Cancer Foundation is to be congratulated in the best way possible: by enthusiastic continued support until the job is done.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary!  The Cancer Support Community has been privileged to partner with the Foundation on a number of prevention campaigns.  We applaud you on all of your accomplishments in the past 25 years.

 See the YouTube video!

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

Congratulations on your Silver Jubilee! I have long known of the important work of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.  For many years, I have served on the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board and it has been my honor and privilege to co-chair its Scientific Review Panel since 1999.

Through the leadership of Prevent Cancer Foundation, a national, non-profit health foundation, I have witnessed an incredible increase in national awareness of colorectal cancer, its preventability, and the importance of early detection.  The Foundation, whose impact extends far beyond its area of focus in cancer prevention, has become one of the leading and most respected organizations in the entire cancer community.

Founded by Prevent Cancer Foundation in 1999, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is a nationwide effort to educate the public about steps that they can take to protect themselves against the second leading cancer killer of Americans, which is 90 percent preventable.  The Foundation has also nurtured a generation of cancer prevention scientists. 

We know that many cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes and screening, yet more than 553,000 Americans will die this year alone from various forms of the disease.  The tragedy of these losses is compounded when we know that many could have been prevented.  Prevention truly is the ultimate weapon against cancer.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

“Cherokee Nation colorectal cancer data shows a lower incidence as compared to the U.S. and Oklahoma, however, mortality rates are higher. Cherokee data suggests a higher occurrence of late stage diagnosis for this population group. Further, the Cherokee Nation WW Hastings Hospital has a very high demand for colonoscopies.

Education has been a big factor in later stage of diagnosis. Increased educational efforts, with the help of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon exhibit visit funded by the Prevent Cancer Foundation and clinical staff advising patients of screening responsibilities, has helped to inform and encourage eligible patients to discuss screening options with their health care providers.  This in turn has increased demand for screening services. The Cherokee Nation is taking a proactive approach to addressing this demand by increasing partnerships, increasing surgical time and space in performing colonoscopies.

I am deeply grateful to the Prevent Cancer Foundation for supporting my research career in optical imaging for early cancer detection. Previously, I was supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Prevent Cancer Foundation in 2004-2006. This was my first research grant and was a critical learning experience for me to administrate a research project. The fellowship provided the essential support for conducting my proposed research – early detection of esophageal cancer using ultrahigh-resolution endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT). The fellowship support facilitated me to formulate the research targets, develop the instrument and algorithms, collect and analyze data, and report the results in journal and conference publication. In addition, the clinical-oriented research provided me an excellent opportunity to better understand the clinical problems and requirements for technology development in detecting cancer.

The fellowship greatly enhanced my interests and motivation to continue researching cancer prevention based on early detection with optical imaging techniques. I was very fortunate to be awarded another research grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation for developing needle-based optical imaging technology for guiding breast cancer biopsy last year. This grant is a catalyst to my independent research career. During the last year’s support period, our lab has published 6 peer-reviewed journal papers and submitted numerous grant proposals based on the preliminary data generated by this grant funding. We have been successfully awarded one grant from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) to investigate novel integrated cancer imaging and therapy technology using molecular-targeting nanoparticles.

The above research progress and career advancement would not have been possible without the critical support from the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Therefore, I am especially thankful for the support I received from the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.

Congratulations to the Prevent Cancer Foundation on your 25^thAnniversary!

My husband Joe and I applaud your efforts and the leading role you play in both advocacy and prevention in the global fight against breast cancer and other preventable cancers. 

Many of us involved in these efforts have lost a loved one to this disease – or seen a colleague or friend endure painful treatments in a long battle with breast cancer.  Through initiatives like the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention program, you and others have taken personal experiences with this disease and used them to raise awareness and improve access to treatment and education for thousands of other women.

Your dedication and passion are inspirational to women and men everywhere.  Today, as we recognize this important anniversary, let us reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing work of prevention, detection, and treatment of this disease as we look forward to a breast-cancer free world.

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.