Two more American Cancer Society researchers win Nobel Prize

ATLANTA, October 7, 2007 -- Two of the three scientists receiving the 2007 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine received funding from the American Cancer Society early in their careers, bringing to 42 the number of Nobel Laureates among the Society’s funded researchers.

Former grantees Mario R. Capecchi, Ph.D. of the University of Utah and Oliver Smithies, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina are co-winners along with Sir Martin J. Evans of Cardiff University in Wales of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries that led to a technology known as gene targeting. Their work enabled scientists to develop targeted “gene knockout” mouse models that allows the study of specific genes involved in cancer, as well as in other diseases.

Like many Society-funded researchers, Drs. Capecchi and Smithies received American Cancer Society grants early in their careers, when funding is particularly hard to get. Dr. Capecchi received a four-year Faculty Research Award (FRA) from the American Cancer Society beginning July 1, 1974. Dr. Smithies received funds for an American Cancer Society Project Grant from July 1, 1974 - December 31, 1976.

“Throughout its more than 60-year history, the American Cancer Society’s research department has recognized the importance of funding promising grants by scientists whose careers are in their infancy,” said John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., national chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. “In just the past four years, seven Society-funded researchers have won the Nobel Prize, a remarkable achievement that is unmatched in the non-profit sector. We congratulate these researchers for receiving this proud honor, which stands as strong evidence of the strength of the Society’s peer-review process and the credibility of its research grant program.”

Pink is the new...

The blog has gone pink this month in honor of the national breast cancer month and a cool site aptly named, pinkforoctober.org, aimed at education and awareness.

ACS really encourages the Tell-A-Friend program (which I didn't participate in earlier this year *hangs head in shame*) which simply involves in asking 5 friends or loved ones of age if they've had their mammagram and if not to schedule a time to go. It works!

Relay has wrapped...Now What?

American Cancer Society is known for their research & funding of now 40 Nobel Prize winners. But Relay benefits much more than the "big" items. A few examples of how Relay dollars will be used:

$1000 = covers 10 day stay at Hope Lodge in Indy, always free of charge for patients and families going through treatments.

$500 = provides visits to 5 patients matched to trained breast cancer survivors in the Reach to Recovery program for questions and one on one support.

$250 = 83 hours of toll free access on1.800.ACS.2345 where cancer information specialists speak with 1.2 million callers each year.

Camp Catch-A-Rainbow, the resource libraries at both Parkview & Lutheran Oncology Centers, Road to Recovery volunteer driver program in Allen County...the list goes on!

Luminaria Ceremony

The Luminaria ceremony was led by news personalities from WANE TV, who did a great job honoring those being remembered and celebrated.

I had a new honoree to Relay for this year, as my grandma's brother passed this past January.

Night Owls News Volume 2

Being the Night Owls’ second year in existence and first year fundraising, I’m pretty proud of the contribution we could make. Just over 20 people came out to participate or support the event throughout the day. $200.00 was raised during on-site fundraising for a total of $1,095.00 donated this year.

I'm pleased to say that ours was recently named "Favorite Fundraiser" at Relay this year. Thanks guys!

A heartfelt “Thank You!” to all those who, purchased (or ate!) cheesecake, generously donated, and participated in the ‘07 Relay. And for putting up with my emails :)

Special thanks to Tangie Rasnick for decorations, Kim Cole for the Night Owl design & Emi Piebenga for being my right wing all day!

For those of you who know Braiden well, or at all...Relay was a very big deal. With the kindness of the event’s DJ, he got to talk in the microphone. Not just once, but throughout the evening making announcements.

Thanks to Monty for making Braiden’s year and helping him on his current quest to be a news anchor. He was a natural!

The theme for Relay this year was Relayville—reinforcing the community aspect of our local Cancer Society and services.

We served as Relay bakery serving up cheesecakes twice throughout the day. 8 different cheesecakes and a carrot cake were almost completely gone by midnight. I’m thrilled they were a big hit, and grateful for the sales over the past few months, but 70lbs of cream cheese later I think my love for it is gone. That’s certainly not a bad thing!

In addition there was a bookstore, tattoo parlor, pizzeria and security among others.
It was a great day to be together out in the sun and a beautiful night under the stars.

The Owl's preparing for hibernation

Just a quick note until the "official" follow up... Relay turned out great! Warmer than expected weather, great turnout and successful on-site sales.

I've already got ideas rolling around for next year...it's like an addiction

Weather

Saturday

High: 73°F Mostly Sunny

Low: 53°F Clear
Sunset: 8:56 PM ET

Yay! The UV index will be very high, so please lather up in sunscreen...it might be a bad idea to get skin cancer at Relay!

The Stuff.

Okay Relayers, I've updated the schedule on the sidebar! Any updates on onsite fundraising will be listed here.

Time: May 19-20 (Sat-Sun) 10am to 10am
Location: Between Science Bldg, Classroom-Medical & Neff at IPFW--best parking at the Science building or library/parking garage (follow signs)

There's a few of you I haven't heard back from, if it turns out you're not going to make it please give me a shout. There's a big hole in the afternoon--I need you! The Relay goal is to try and keep somebody walking at all times ("There is no finish line until there's a cure!") so more feet are always welcome--please invite someone along!

There will be onsite fundraising by several teams (book sale, rummage sale, popcorn, kid ID kits, possibly Marcos pizza/cheesy bread-yay!) as well as all the meals being "donation" so bring a few dollars if you want to peruse the other teams. We'll be serving up cheesecake at 2 & 7 pm for $2/slice and desserts for donation.

Other highlights:
Kids Carnival 12-2 pm
Massages by Ivy Tech 2-4 pm
Several bands throughout day
Trick-or-treating 7 pm
Luminaria Ceremony 9:30 pm * the highlight of Relay! Luminarias can also be purchased in site in Honor or Memory.
Pancake Breakfast 7-8 am

I really appreciate you participating in fundraisers this year and giving of your time to come out. I can't rave enough about the other teams and committee, everyone has put a lot into fundraising and survivor recognition! I'll be great to see the purple shirts (survivors) and really see donations in action.

P.S. Braiden has picked a neon green t-shirt like his for the owl to wear so we should be pretty easy to spot

Onsite Fundraising:

All final details for Relay day scheduling will be up on Thursday!

Less than a month to go!

Night Owls' campsite will be the Relayville Bakery--stop by for cheesecake, sweet treats, and prizes as a reward for time spent walking! Relay cheesecakes are calorie-free ;)

If you'll be attending & would like to bring some goodies to sell for donations please let me know!

*Coupon not needed just mention Relay!

Updates...

Thanks to generous donors, $790.00 has been raised to date with more on the way!

• Save your change? I'll be glad to give you a money can (I have to use one that can't be opened so I don't raid the quarters!), it's a really easy way to make a donation!
  
• Luminarias--(candles-in-a-bag) can be purchased in memory of or in honor of a survivor--and really do stay lit all night! This year these donations can be counted for a team, they ask that we give at least $10 but any amount is ok. These honorees will be read during the lighted ceremony.

Why Relay?

Everyone participates in Relay for different reasons, maybe even to appease a Relayer who keeps asking. ;-) It feels good to see dollars in action supporting local survivors and those going through treatment. The big research achievements aren't bad either!

I Relay in memory of my Grandma Lois, among others in the family, and also in the hope I don't lose anyone else I love the same way. Cancer survivors are amazingly brave at a time when most of us would crumble. My grandma was no exception.

In her five years with cancer, she lost her hair, grew it back and lost it again, spent weeks and weeks sick from the chemo, missed meeting both new grandbabies and greatgrandbabies while ill. She volunteered for experimental drug therapies with at times success, which has hopefully created an opportunity for another cancer patient since.

In that time she put on her wig and never missed a beat with her family and friends if at all possible, and still managed to keep up the card ministry at church and her yearly photo albums spanning every birthday, cookout, and holiday. That's more than I get done on a regular basis! Any chance to have everyone together was very important in spite of how she was doing. She took cancer with courage, dignity, humor, and tenacity, even the last day in hospice. Even still, I never want to see my mother or sister or friend that way.

I also Relay with/for caregivers, for their strength and patience at a time when other couldn't handle the job.

May Day for Relay--May 1st

The NY/NJ Relays 'painted the town purple' last year, some really neat things and cute ideas. I hope this tradition spreads!

Hope shines the brightest during the Luminaria Ceremony at Relay For Life. Each light honors someone who has battled cancer.

Each light, laid out along side the track and burning through the night, commemorates a treasured relationship. Luminarias light the path of hope.

Saturday, May 19 at 9:30pm

Cheesecake Fundraiser

Between March 19th - April 4th I'll again be making cheesecakes priced as donation only with proceeds going to the team. They were a big hit the last time around so get your orders in now--they can be placed anytime and must delivered by 4/5. (unless you ask really nicely for a later date :P) Who doesn't want me showing up on their doorstep with food?!

9 in - New York (Traditional w/ choice of fruit), Turtle, Triple Chocolate, or Pumpkin Marble.

*All donations are payable directly to the American Cancer Society and are tax deductible.

Signing up to participate in Relay via ASC online:

Select the team name and choose to "join the team"--it's very simple! DO select your t-shirt size on the registration form, but DO NOT pay the participation fee.

You'll be set up! You'll receive a shirt and have the ability to email others about the event or even make a donation if you wish.

http://www.acsevents.org/relay/in/allennorth/nightowlsforacure

Daffodil Days® are coming!

As the first flower of spring, the daffodil represents hope and renewal. To the American Cancer Society, the daffodil symbolizes the hope we all share for a future where cancer no longer threatens those we love.

Daffodil Days is one of the American Cancer Society's oldest and most beloved fundraising programs that provides hope to everyone touched by cancer by offering daffodils to donors in appreciation of their contributions.

For more than 30 years, Daffodil Days has enabled people of all ages to join the Society’s fight against cancer by raising funds to support groundbreaking cancer research, provide up-to-date cancer information and education, advocate for public health policies that benefit the community, and provide services that improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Daffodil orders are being taken now & will arrive March 14-16th.
Northeast Indiana-Allen

I should add, I'm ordering some but not distributing--if you're interested (they're a great deal!) select one of the teams already listed to order from and make a donation :)

The Owl has landed!

A big thanks to Kim for her Relay inspired owl! I can't believe it took me a snow day to finally get it scanned. I think it'll make a fantastic tee!

We're now down to 3 months until the event!

There's a spreadsheet over on the sidebar that I'll keep updated as I have confirmed participants (no I don't plan to walk 30 miles haha) so if there is a time you'd prefer to come out I'll mark you down.

I'm hoping to be the Relay "bakery" if no one else claims it & planning to make some goodies for an onsite fundraiser either way--if you'd like to help with making brownies or cookies or whatever let me know!

Drop in cancer deaths

A significant drop in cancer deaths for the 2nd year in a row:

Fewer people died of cancer in 2004 than in 2003, marking the second consecutive year that cancer deaths have declined in the United States, a new American Cancer Society report shows. According to Cancer Statistics 2007, there were 3,014 fewer cancer deaths in 2004 compared to the previous year. The report is published in the latest issue of the ACS journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

That number is much higher than the drop of 369 deaths reported between 2003 and 2002. And that suggests the trend is more than just a statistical blip, experts say.

"This second consecutive drop in the number of actual cancer deaths, much steeper than the first, shows last year's historic drop was no fluke," says John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. "The hard work towards preventing cancer, catching it early, and making treatment more effective is paying dramatic, lifesaving dividends."...

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Cancer_Deaths_Down_Again.asp

Relay is coming!

The 2007 theme is "Relayville" emphasizing the village aspect of the American Cancer Society and Relay, the funds raised support our community and raise awareness for cancer services in the area. The committee has some new goals for the year & I'm really excited to see what '07 brings.

2006: 15 teams $24,000 raised
2007: 27 teams $37,000 goal

If you're interested in coming out to check it out, participate or maybe even form your own team-let me know, we'd love to have you whether it's for an hour or overnight. [Plus, who can turn down Chris Dip!? :) ]

I'd love any ideas on incorporating the theme to the team or campsite.

acsevents.org

Relay online is available! Team members will be able to sign up again, keep track of email to family & friends and receive or make donations. http://www.acsevents.org/relay/in/allennorth/nightowlsforacure

* (NEW) This year people will be able to purchase luminaria online for the lighted ceremony either In Honor of a survivor or In Memory of someone who has passed on. ACS asks for at least a $10 donation for these but any amount can be donated. All honorees will be recognized at the ceremony on Relay day.

* When signing up, DO select your t-shirt size but DO NOT pay the participation fee (Select Team Member no fee). We've already got enough money to cover our team administrative cost. Please come out and join us at no cost!

So it's a fundraiser...where does the money actually go?

Relay funds 4 segments of the American Cancer Society, Research* being one of them. I stumbled across the update below today--donation dollars in action!

Targeted Drugs, Vaccines Among Cancer Advances in 2006
The Year in Review

* Research: The American Cancer Society is the nation’s largest non-governmental organization to fund cancer research. The Society funds the most innovative, groundbreaking research so future generations won’t have to face cancer as a life-threatening disease. Society researchers have won 40 Nobel Prizes and our research program has helped save millions of lives.

To date, the American Cancer Society has spent more than $2.5 billion on research. That research has led to advances such as the Pap test, the bone marrow transplant, and drugs such as Tamoxifen and Gleevec, which have positively impacted and even saved the lives of many people with cancer.

How did Relay get it's start?

In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed—running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for more than 83 miles. Throughout the night, friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised $27,000 to fight cancer. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course.

While he circled the track those 24 hours, he thought about how others could take part. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Months later he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, 19 teams took part in the first team relay event on the track at the historical Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000.

Hello Relayers and friends!

I've decided to give NOFAC another home, since (unfortunately) the entire world isn't on MySpace yet. Pull up a chair and feel free to put your feet on the furniture!