Lazarex News | Feb. 2024

Dear Friends,

I am deeply grateful for all of your support in 2023 and for helping us reach our $100K end-of-year goal.

We are excited to announce that "Willis Watson is a Wannabe," will be in bookstores on February 27. This is a book to inspire young children of color to be the next generation of medical professionals. It is a result of our advocacy efforts to advance equity and access in cancer care. Learn more in the news below.

Our 7th annual Lazarex 5.44K fundraiser is now open for registration! it is a family friendly event and you can participate from anywhere. We hope you will join us and, perhaps, consider starting a team.

2023 was a challenging year. We reached capacity for new enrollments and in September put a hold on accepting new patients for financial reimbursements. We will reassess reopening enrollment in April. This is to ensure that the hundreds of patients currently enrolled in the Lazarex CARE program continue to receive reimbursements for their clinical trial travel expenses. The Lazarex Clinical Trial Navigation Program remains open and is accepting new questionnaires.

The American Cancer Society recently released a report on the high rate of new cancer diagnoses expected in 2024 - The First Year the US Expects More than 2M New Cases of Cancer - so we are anticipating another year of high demand for our services. As you can see, the funds that we have on hand determine how many people we can help financially.

Your support as a donor, sponsor, grantor, or volunteer has an impact on the lives of every patient, and their loved ones, in the hard times that come with cancer. Anything you can do to help us grow our support base is most appreciated. Referrals and introductions are welcome!

We are deeply grateful for you.

Sincerely,

Dana Dornsife, Founder, Chief Mission and Strategy Officer

Get out and stretch your legs on Saturday, April 20th to help support cancer patients so they can travel to their clinical trial treatments! You decide where and how to your 5.44K (3.38 miles). This is a family friendly event.

Take advantage of our early bird registration through February 29th. Use code EARLYBIRD at check out to save $5 on registration fees.

Current and former Lazarex patients can register for free. Contact us for the code.

Learn More about Sponsor Opportunities or Creating a Team

Your Support Helps People Access Treatment Today

Tiffany Collins:

Multiple Myeloma and Clinical Trial Treatments

Tiffany Collins was working at the Post Office in her hometown of Timpson, Texas one day when she felt a nagging feeling in her left shoulder. She went to pick up a package and suddenly felt her arm pop and fall. It was clear she needed to go to a doctor. She lives in a rural area of about 1,200 people with no hospital but there was an orthopedist she could visit. After X-rays and an MRI, a mass was discovered, and she was immediately referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center – 2.5 hours away in Houston.

Practical considerations came into play quickly for the mother of three and grandmother of two who had to leave and figure out her treatment options. From the start, oncologists recommended she take part in a clinical trial. She agreed and started the back and forth to Houston once or twice a week for chemo, radiation, and other trial treatments. She ended up getting a stem cell transplant too.

It all worked.

A year and a half later, her cancerous masses are gone and Tiffany is in remission. She remains in the trial on a maintenance regimen to keep cancer at bay. While she’s thrilled at the results of the trial, she admits the finances of getting there and back have been challenging. “It’s been hard to afford,” Tiffany says.

New Children’s Book Aims to Inspire Children of Color to be Doctors

Lazarex Cancer Foundation is thrilled to announce the release of a new children’s picture book aimed at inspiring children to become doctors. The goal behind the book is to help find innovative ways to address the shortage of African American medical students and doctors. The book is part of the non-profit’s advocacy efforts to advance equity and access in cancer care.  

‘Willis Watson is a Wannabe’ tells the story of a young African American boy who wants to become a doctor after seeing the care his “Gramps” receives in the hospital by an African American doctor, supporting the idea that if a child can see it, he can be it. The book is written by children’s author, publisher, and consultant to non-profit organizations, Carmen Bogan, and is illustrated by Cheryl "Ras" Theusday of Ras Illustration.

‘Willis Watson Is A Wannabe’ was a longtime dream of Lazarex Founder Dana Dornsife. She worked closely with Carmen to bring this story to life, to empower future generations of doctors. Pre-order your copy HERE.

The book is being released during Black History Month on February 27, 2024, by Denene Millner Books at Simon & Schuster, the only children’s book imprint at a Big Five publishing house led by an African American woman. Its goal is to celebrate the everyday humanity of African American children and families.

Lazarex Cancer Wellness HUB in the Community

On Wednesday, our Los Angeles Cancer Wellness HUB partner, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, joined the YMCA in East LA for a food distribution. While community members picked up free fruits and vegetables, our HUB set up a table to answer questions and provide resources about cancer treatment and prevention.

We spoke with about 45 people, including Guadalupe, a breast cancer patient whom we were honored to meet.

Improving cancer outcomes starts with raising awareness. We started our Cancer Wellness HUBs to do just that — made possible by partnerships with Village Community Resource Center, Center for Human Development, Monument Crisis Center, Monument Impact, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Drexel University Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships.

We were thrilled to meet so many people on Wednesday!