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About Us
Cancer League of
Colorado, Inc. was founded by five women whose families were affected
by cancer. These women personally experienced the
heartache that comes with the disease. From their individual
struggles grew a joint commitment to raise money for research and
patient care. Their dream in founding Cancer League is to
help find a cure for cancer.
From the beginning, Cancer League has been committed to supporting cancer research and has
raised and dispensed approximately $4,000,000. to support Colorado
research, patient care and family programs. Cancer
League grants have been made to projects across Colorado and have
helped thousands of individuals and families fight cancer.
 Cancer League of Colorado, Inc is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization composed entirely of volunteers.
Unique to non-profits, Cancer League has no paid staff and no
offices. All operating expenses are covered by membership dues.
Cancer League now has more than 375 volunteer members
who share the commitment to fight cancer.
Cancer League of Colorado has a compassionate
approach to raising dollars for cancer research and patient services
within the State of Colorado. We are a 501 (c) 3, founded in 1969,
with the mission of finding a cure for, or the means to control,
cancer. We are unique in that our
organization has no paid staff and no offices. Membership dues pay for
all operating expenses.
Cancer League's philosophy states that, "We are
a cohesive, caring group with close relations among our members to
work toward our goal of fundraising to find a cure for cancer."
Our bylaws require that all of the money
received through our fund raising efforts be disbursed each year at
the direction of our Scientific Advisory Board or Funds Allocation
Committee.
Our compassion is in our caring members, dollars
raised, and volunteers' time. We reach out with our advisory boards
and the time and effort they put in to directing our grant programs.
We are companions together as a group of more than 375 members who
give personally of their time to make our mission a reality.
Our Services:
Based on recommendations
from our Scientific Advisory Board, each year the Funds Allocation
Committee distributes monies for research and service grants.
The Scientific Advisory Board is a group of Colorado medical doctors
and research specialists who volunteer their time to insure the funds
are sent to worthy organizations throughout the state of Colorado.
Research for such grants is conducted at several facilities, which
include the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Colorado
State University, Children’s Hospital and the National Jewish Center
for Immunology and Respiratory Care.
Generally 90% of Cancer League’s funds are awarded for research
grants; the remaining 10% are awarded to service grants.
Service grants are awarded to organizations for such
things as hospice care, educational materials, care to indigent
patients and recreational activities for children fighting cancer.
Past recipients include Boulder Hospice,
Doctors Care, AMC Native American Cancer Research Program, Qualife
Wellness, and the Visiting Nurses Association. All
organizations benefit patients only in the state of Colorado.
Cancer League of
Colorado, Inc. was a founding institution for the Cancer Center at the
University of Colorado Health Science Center, the only comprehensive
cancer center in the Rocky Mountain Region.
(website,
Contact: Libby Printz)
The League was
also instrumental in funding the Colorado Ronald McDonald House and
Qualife, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life
for cancer patients.
Cancer League funded
research has been successful in leading to groundbreaking discoveries,
particularly in the field of genetic research. Our funding played a
major role in the following discoveries:
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Establishment of a link between DDT and
testicular, prostate and breast cancer.
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Discovery of a protein that controls
silencing DNA cell processes, which, if mutate, can lead to cancer.
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Identification of cancer-specific gene
expression markers.
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Discovery of a region of cell cycle
protein, which is essential for its function in regulating normal
cell division.
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Discovery of the gene targets involved in
acute leukemia in humans.
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