Hope Connections News

Hope Connections Celebrates 5th Anniversary

On Thursday, March 22, Hope Connections for Cancer Support celebrated its 5th Anniversary at its Celebration of Hope Gala at The World Bank in Washington, D.C.  At this event, Hope Connections honored an individual and a business that have been major supporters of our work.

A founding member of our Board of Directors, Bob Fleshner received the Celebration of Hope Award.  A "recovering" lawyer, he lent his expertise to helping us establish ourselves as an independent nonprofit organization.  He also served as our first Treasurer.  A tireless advocate of our programs, Bob has introduced his wide circle of friends and family to Hope Connections and has encouraged them to support our work.  In 2009, he created the American Odyssey Relay, a 200-mile adventure beginning in Gettysburg, PA and ending in Washington, D.C.  Bob named Hope Connections as the beneficiary of this annual event.  To date, Bob has personally contributed and raised over $55,000 for Hope Connections.

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center received our Partnership Award.  A part of Georgetown University Medical Center,  Lombardi seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer through innovative basic and clinical research, patient care, community education and outreach, and the training of cancer specialists of the future.  Lombardi is one of only 40 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, as designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the only one in the Washington, DC area.  Lombardi has supported Hope Connections - philosophically, financially and programmatically since before we even opened our facility.  Dr. John Marshall, Chief of the Division of Hemotology/Oncology serves on our Medical Advisory.  He and a number of other Lombardi oncologists regularly hold educational workshops for the benefit of Hope Connections' participants.  In fact, Lombardi Director, Dr. Louis Weiner, is scheduled to hold an "Ask the Doctor" session at Hope Connections on Monday, April 23 from 6 - 8 p.m.

Hope Connections is grateful to the attendees at the Celebration of Hope Gala and the many sponsors who supported the event.  For a complete list of sponsors, click here.

Hope Connections in the News

Changing our name last year has brought a flurry of interest from the media.  We'd like to share the following articles and radio interviews with you:

Examiner

Kensington Patch

The Washington Post

Washington Jewish Week

WMZQ

WTOP

Team Hope Triumphant in Niagara Falls

Congratulations to Marti and Dan Bailey, Michael Clark, Solange Toura Gaba, Sherry Haber, Susan Joseph and Paula Rothenberg for a very successful fundraising campaign in connections with their participation in the Niagara Falls International Marathon on behalf of Hope Connections for Cancer Support.  Members of our team trained for several months with professional coaches, competed in the marathon (26.2 miles) or half marathon (13.1 miles) events and finished in fine form with big smiles on their faces under a spectacular rainbow! 

But more importantly, these members of Team Hope raised over $17,000 for Hope Connections through donations from family and friends.  Because all of our “free” programs are donor-supported, the dollars raised through this event are critical to ensuring that our services continue to be offered to anyone in our community who needs them.

Many of our present and past Team Hope members are cancer survivors themselves.  They got involved in this activity right out of treatment as a means of taking back control and moving their lives forward.  Some couldn’t walk a block without getting winded and having to rest, but with the encouragement of their fellow teammates and coaches, they took it one step at a time, then one mile at a time until they were able to walk or run a 5K, 10K, half marathon or full marathon.  It’s a fun and rewarding process and along the way you get to meet some pretty fabulous and inspiring folks! 

If you, members of your family or friends are interested in obtaininginformation on how to get involved and become a champion for Team Hope, contact info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.orgor 301-493-5002.  Our next Team Hope adventure is to Seattle on June 23 for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon.