I Back Jack Foundation 
March 2015
        Backing Research                    Inspiring Hope                         Defeating  Cancer
"Commitment is the ignitor of momentum."  
-  Peg Wood

We are so thankful for our supporters and believers who are incredibly committed to our cause.  Together, we continue to make strides in the fight against childhood cancer.
Committed to Finding a Cure
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the child and family quickly become  familiar  with the short-term effects of the disease and treatment including: nausea, fatigue, pain, skin rashes, hair loss, and far too many more unpleasant side effects.  But the treatments that help children survive cancer can also cause health problems later on, harming the body's organs, bones, and tissues. These problems are called late effects.

Late effects can occur months or years after treatment has ended and vary from patient to patient.  Most late effects are caused by chemotherapy or radiation. John Bartosz (Jack's dad) continues to struggle with the effects of the treatments that saved his life 23 years ago.    

Late effects may include: cognitive or mental disabilities; abnormal bone growth; thyroid imbalance; hearing loss; vision and dental problems; lung, liver, or kidney problems; heart damage; delayed onset of puberty and fertility issues; and a greatly increased risk of future cancers.

Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children.  Every school day approximately 36 children are diagnosed.  Fifty percent (50%) of all chemotherapies used to treat childhood cancer are more than
25 years old and were developed to treat adults .  Only 3% of the National Cancer Institute Budget goes toward pediatric cancer research.  In the simplest terms, childhood cancer research and drug development is vastly and consistently underfunded.   

Doctors everywhere agree that there is an urgent need to provide novel treatments that are not only potent to improve survival, but also have limited toxicity to enhance overall quality of life and limit late effects.  

The I Back Jack Foundation is providing incredible, powerful, and targeted resources to meet these urgent needs and to develop cutting-edge trials and treatment options in our common, unified fight for children.  This relentless pursuit for cures leads the I Back Jack Foundation to back research, inspire hope, and, ultimately, defeat childhood cancer.
In This Issue
Committed to Finding a Cure
Think Golf & Tennis
WE NEED YOU
Back Jack in 2015

Annie is "Everyday Amazing"
Annie has been chosen as one of the "100 Everyday Amazing" individuals who are working to inspire others in the fight against cancer.

Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center created and supports "The 100" initiative. Every year, the organization honors 100 Everyday Amazing individuals and groups. This year Annie was one of more than 800 to be nominated for the distinction.

For the last eight years, caregivers, advocates, philanthropists, and volunteers from around the globe have been chosen because of their commitment to fight cancer that inspires us all to take action.

Annie was nominated by Debra Cordeiro from Rhode Island, who wrote, "Gold In September has grown from Annie's love of her twin brother into a groundswell of support that has reached far beyond her town of Hartland, WI. I cannot think of anyone else who embodies 'Everyday Amazing' more than Annie Bartosz!"

Visit the website:
theonehundred.org to see all the honorees and read their stories.

We couldn't be more proud of Annie and her amazing, tireless efforts to turn the world gold in September.
Think Golf and Tennis
Now that Mother Nature is blessing us with warmer temperatures and the snow is finally melting, hitting the golf course and outdoor tennis courts is becoming more of a reality.  

The 7th Annual Back to School Event will be held Monday, September 14th at Chenequa Country Club.  This event allows the Foundation to fund new clinical trials that will save the lives of children and continue Jack's story of hope. Since our first golf event in 2009, the Back to School Event has successfully contributed more than $750,000 to the I Back Jack Foundation!  We are so thankful to our supporters, we couldn't do this without you.

This year's event is being chaired by Susie Schneider, Stacy Bader, and Michelle Varhol. Together, they ensure the event will be another year of fabulous fun, success, and purpose. The silent auction will be filled with a wonderful array of beautiful packages. The Golden Ticket will be back again for your chance at one of the exciting live auction items that are always a highlight of the event. "Being part of the I Back Jack Back to School Event is an extreme honor. The fulfillment one gets when helping in the quest for new treatments both locally and nationally is one of pride, joy, and happiness...and those are qualities that come to mind when reflecting on our precious Jack," said Susie Schneider.

WE NEED YOU
There are many ways to get involved to help the Foundation continue to offer hope to children and their families fighting cancer. Mark your calendar for September 14, make plans to attend the event, and consider one of the other ways to get involved:
  • Volunteer: times are available from 9 am to 9 pm.
  • Donate: we are collecting unique and exciting items to include in our silent and live auctions which have become well-known highlights of the Event.
  • Sponsor: consider sponsorship of the Back to School Event at one of the many levels available.
  • Goodie Bags: have an item to share with our generous participants? We welcome approximately 200 people for golf and tennis!
Email [email protected] to learn more about volunteer or donation opportunities. Thank you for wanting to make a difference.
BACK JACK IN 2015
We are excited to share two new ways of giving and supporting the I Back Jack Foundation.
EchoAge and  Kids Can Give Too are both web-based sites that offer charity party ideas with an awesome twists.  On both sites, a host selects and sends out a party invitation and chooses a charity (I Back Jack).  Their guests will RSVP online and contribute.  Afterwards, half of the money raised is donated to the charity while the other half is given to the child which can be applied to a gift that he/she really wants.  We are in the approval process on both sites and will share more details once we are officially registered. This is just another great example of thinking outside the box to give back and back Jack!


Did you know that you can shop on Amazon and benefit the I Back Jack Foundation? Simply register your Amazon account by going to  smile.amazon.com and select I Back Jack from the list of charities. Use the smile site every time you shop and Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase back to the Foundation.  

How can you support I Back Jack? The possibilities are endless.
Have an idea of your own or looking for an idea? Email us at: [email protected]
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