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Martha Jentz |
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Cancer League of Colorado
President’s Message, Martha
Jentz
I am humbled to be the “leader”
of such a dynamic group of
people. Every member of Cancer
League of Colorado is a
volunteer devoted to completing
the task set forth in our
mission statement:
“To secure the ultimate cure or
control of cancer. It is the
aim of this organization to
obtain this goal through
fundraising,, with monies going
primarily to innovative research
grants and cancer related
services in the State of
Colorado, as well as supporting
those currently suffering, and
educating Cancer League’s
membership and the community.”
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Each of our
over 400 members has a personal
connection to this devastating
disease. Maybe that is one
of the reasons I believe Cancer
League to be such a unique
non-profit. Many of the men and
woman who devote their precious
time and talents are cancer
survivors themselves. Along with
our General Membership and Board
of Directors, we have an
extremely supportive Corporate
Advisory Board, which not only
participates in our fundraising
events but hosts events for
Cancer League as well.
Cancer League differs from
other non-profits by giving 100%
of the monies raised to Research
and Service Grants and the
Cancer League Foundation (our
Endowment of Hope). We are
able to accomplish this because
we have no paid staff and no
offices; all of our operating
expenses are paid for by our
Membership Dues. To insure the
quality of the Grant Requests,
each is reviewed by our
Scientific Advisory Board
consisting of 8-15 physicians
from the state of Colorado.
These doctors review each
research proposal to insure that
those we fund are innovative and
have the potential to go further
toward meeting Cancer League’s
mission. This is again unique
in the non-profit sector. In
determining how our fundraising
efforts have affected Cancer
Research, we have found that
each $1.00 we raise becomes
$20.00 for our grant recipients
in further funding they are able
to obtain. It is also important
to note that all of the funds
raised for the initial ‘seed’
grants and service grants stay
in the state of Colorado.
I lost my Mother-in-law to
ovarian cancer in 1987 and my
best friend to breast cancer in
1992 and then another dear
friend in 1994, again to breast
cancer. For these reasons I
joined Cancer League.
However, when I lost my college
roommate to a rare Sarcoma last
summer, (she was only 56 and a
grandma for just 2 weeks), I
almost gave up hope. I thought
of giving up my position as
incoming President. However, I
remembered that Cancer League
of Colorado ‘seed’ grants
eventually led to the discovery
of Tamoxifen (an internationally
used treatment for breast
cancer) and the new
‘breathalyzer’ type test for
lung cancer. I realized that I
must never give up hope! Then,
just last month we heard that
one of our grants to a doctor
from the University of Colorado
Cancer Center has now led to a
treatment that has moved toward
making lung cancer a CHRONIC
ILLNESS. There really is HOPE.
With prompting from my very
supportive husband and family,
it is with pride that my year
will be dedicated to the ones I
love (and have loved). As
the ‘Mamas & Papas’ song says,
“This is dedicated to the one I
love, each night before you go
to bed,…whisper a little prayer
for me… and tell all the stars
above, this is dedicated to.”
Let’s make this year, “Dedicated
to the One’s We Love”, those who
are fighting cancer now, those
we loved whom we have lost and
all of those who we will someday
find a cure for. At each of our
events this year we will be
seeing our Logo on kites,
symbolizing our dedication to
each person we love reaching to
the sky, taking our hope and
prayers for a cure! My hope is
that you will join us in this
fight by becoming a member of
Cancer League of Colorado or
renewing your Membership or even
becoming a Lifetime Member of
this amazing organization!
With Dedication,
Martha Jentz
President
Cancer League of Colorado,
2009-2010
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Did you know that each dollar donated to Cancer League research generates
another $20 in funding?
