Nearly 600,000 people are expected to pass away from cancer this year, accounting for 1 in every 4 deaths in the U.S. (the second most common cause of death in America). 1 Over 1.6 million new cases are predicted this year. 1 But did you know that an estimated 1/3 of cases (about 374,000 lives) can be prevented by “eating healthy, being active, and staying lean?” 2
This February is National Cancer Prevention Month with World Cancer Day taking place this Thursday. Here are some cancer organizations Road Scholar Transport is spreading awareness for.
Alex’s Lemonade (www.alexslemonade.org/)
Working together with Liz Scott, who founded the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation after her 8-year-old daughter Alex passed away from cancer, Road Scholar’s bright yellow tractor trailer was created featuring an image of young Alex at her lemonade stand with the goal of being “On the Road for Alex’s Lemonade Stand…Fighting Childhood Cancer, One Cup at a Time.”.
Alexandra Scott was diagnosed with neuroblastoma before her first birthday. After receiving a stem cell transplant when she was just four years old, Alex wanted to open up a lemonade stand and “give the money to doctors to allow them to ‘help other kids, like they helped me,’” she said. She ended up raising $2,000 that year. As more and more people heard Alex’s story, they too began to open lemonade stands and with their help, Alex was able to raise over $1 million to help find a cure before she passed away at the age of 8. 3
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised over $100 million so far towards helping to find a cure.
Pancreatic Cancer (https://www.pancan.org/)
While the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death, Pancreatic Cancer has the highest mortality rate of cancers with 94% of diagnosed individuals passing away within 5 years of being diagnosed. 4 Over 53,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year in the U.S. and close to 42,000 will pass away. 4
Breast Cancer (www.abcf.org/)
The American Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1997, providing education regarding the disease as well as financial aid to breast cancer patients. The foundation has issued over 45,700 grants since 2007.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Truck was the first in Road Scholar’s awareness campaign.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute (Rock on Judi H) (http://cancernepa.org and www.judihrockon.com/)
The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is a non-profit organization focused on “community and patient services, hospital and practice support services, and cancer surveillance,” as well as services as a “local resource for cancer education services, regional statistics and information on cancer.” 5
Our Rock on Judi H trailer, benefitting the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, was created in memory of Judi H, musician Paul LaBelle’s niece who passed away from breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 45. LaBelle started the Rock On Judi H campaign, selling $20 raffle tickets featuring a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Pink Lady Guitar, created and autographed by renowned guitar maker Paul Reed Smith. All proceeds from the sales were donated to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute in Judi’s memory.
Road Scholar Transport jumped in, helping to sell the tickets as well as creating an awareness trailer to continue spreading breast cancer awareness nationwide. The trailer features Judi’s picture along with the Pink Lady Guitar.
Prostate Cancer (http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/)
Prostate Cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America with one person being diagnosed every 2.5 minutes while one in every 19 minutes passes away. 6
When former Road Scholar driver Greg Kearsh became diagnosed with prostate cancer, owner Jim Barrett wanted to do something to help. With a pink breast cancer truck already standing apart from the rest of the fleet, Jim decided to create a second colorful tractor trailer, this time painted teal and dedicated to prostate cancer awareness.
Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation (http://childrenscancerrecovery.org/about/who-we-are/)
Working with the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation, Road Scholar created a jet black tractor trailer, featuring the foundation’s trademark bear who is pictured with a red bandana on, a symbol of undergoing chemotherapy. Also portrayed is a happy young cancer survivor.
The organization was created in 1990 after Greg Anderson, their Founder and survivor of a 30 days to live lung cancer diagnosis, visited a children’s hospital for a speaking engagement. After meeting with numerous parents at the hospital, Greg realized that he needed to do something to help. Greg interviewed parents and those responses helped him form the programs the foundation has today.
The Bear-Able Gift program, which delivers gifts to thousands of children each year…items such as board games, toys, crayons, coloring books, markers, video games, puzzles, books, teddy bears, craft kits…all sorts of things that make children smile and laugh…are distributed to hospitals across the country. The Bear-Able Gift Program is the largest supplier of gifts to children with cancer in North America.
The Helping Hands Fund provides emergency bridge payments directly to the utility companies and landlords, ensuring that each child has a warm, safe place to call home while recovering from cancer.
The Camp Scholarship Program allows children in remission to reconnect with those friends and activities. The program provides funding for a camp of their choice; sports, music, art, science, horseback riding, skiing or whatever activities they missed most during treatment.
Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation operates an extensive international aid program which provides treatment medications and medical supplies to clinics and doctors treating cancer patients in developing and impoverished countries. They also provide medicine and supplies to aid medical professionals in the treatment and prevention of the side effects of cancer including lymphedema and treatment-related infections.
Lung Cancer Alliance (www.lungcanceralliance.org/)
While it’s the second most common cancer among men and women, lung cancer causes the most fatalities among all cancers, responsible for 27% of cancer deaths (nearly 1600 people will pass away this year from the disease). 7 Each year, around 13% of cancers that are diagnosed are lung, resulting in nearly 221,200 new cases annually, according to the American Cancer Society. 1 in 13 men and 1 in 16 women will develop lung cancer. 7
The idea to create an awareness truck for Lung Cancer Alliance got started when Linda Sacco, a volunteer at the organization, and her husband, ran into Road Scholar President Jim Barrett at an antique car show. Linda’s husband was a former driver for Road Scholar and while catching up, Linda began talking about Lung Cancer Alliance. The idea of creating a trailer for this great organization took off.
Road Scholar’s awareness truck features three of Lung Cancer Alliance’s amazing advocates from Scranton; Karen (a two-time lung cancer survivor) and her husband Jim, along with Linda, who is Karen’s sister.
Lung Cancer Alliance is “the leading and most highly rated lung cancer charity in the country,” explains Kay Bayne, the organization’s Director of Marketing. “We are focused on saving lives and advancing research by empowering those living with and at risk for lung cancer.”
Sky High for St. Jude (www.skyhighshoot.org/)
Working with Hebert, Usable Creative of Lafayette, La, and Elmo Rinaldi (President & CEO of Northern Wine & Spirits and who introduced Road Scholar to Sky High), a new awareness truck was born, this one On the Road to Save Lives! Shooting for Comfort, Aiming for a Cure, spreading the word for Sky High for St. Jude, which helps fund research, provide comfort, and save lives at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“Sky High is a non-profit organization comprised of an army of volunteers that raises funds on behalf of the families undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer and other threatening diseases at St. Jude through sporting clays, concerts, live auctions and golf tournaments,” says Brittany Hebert, Founder of Sky High for St. Jude. “St. Jude has taken pediatric lymphoblastic leukemia from a 4% survival rate in 1962 to 94% in 2015. Sky High is proud to announce contributions of nearly $4 million dollars towards this research as well as the infrastructure of the new ICU suites in the Kaye Research Center on the St. Jude campus and Kitchen B located in the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis.”
Click here to check out Road Scholar’s awareness campaign.
1http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/document/acspc-047079.pdf
2http://www.aicr.org/cancer-prevention-month/
3http://www.alexslemonade.org/about/meet-alex
4http://www.pancreatic.org/site/c.htJYJ8MPIwE/b.5050503/k.40C9/Pancreatic_Cancer_Facts.htm
6http://www.medicinenet.com#sthash.wpTOltWX.dpuf
