Anal Cancer Foundation

Hi Everyone--

I have learned through one of my forums that three people, the Almadas, who are siblings and the children of a woman who died from anal cancer recently, are starting an Anal Cancer Foundation. I spoke at length on the phone this past Saturday with one of them and am so very impressed by their knowledge and determination to realize this dream in memory of their mother. Their mission is to develop a foundation that offers the following:

1) Support Forum
2) Links to Information and Resources
3) Fundraising for Continued Research
4) Education for Healthcare Providers
5) One-on-One Mentoring between an Individual Newly Diagnosed and a Survivor in Post- Treatment
6) Awareness Campaigns

They are seeking the help of individuals who are Anal Cancer survivors to make this foundation a success. There will be opportunities for anyone who wishes to participate, ranging from telling your story in a publicly viewed section of the website, to fundraising and mentoring, among others.

This is a very legitimate undertaking. Their website should be up very soon. Also, they have already met with several of the top physicians in this country who treat Anal Cancer, including Dr. Catherine Eng at M.D. Anderson in Houston, and Dr. Joel Palefsky at University of California San Francisco, and are getting great support from the medical community.

I have been asked to put the word out about this foundation and ask my fellow Anal Cancer survivors to consider becoming a part of this organization. I truly believe that this foundation will have the ability to greatly influence research, public awareness, and education for healthcare providers, resulting in better and earlier detection of this disease. Since we are all members of one or more support forums, we all realize what an invaluable lifeline the forums are to those diagnosed with Anal Cancer. Some of us have been fortunate enough to have also had a personal mentor during our treatment.

I am very excited about the establishment of an Anal Cancer Foundation. It holds the promise that our disease will finally get the attention it needs and deserves, so that lives will be saved and others will not have to go where we’ve been. I ask that you consider playing a role, no matter how small. No one’s participation will be insignificant and we can all make a difference! If you are interested, please contact me by private message or e-mail at mplease@mindspring.com. You may also contact Tristan Almada directly at analcancerfoundation@gmail.com.

Thank you all in advance for your consideration to this request. I know we can make a difference!

Sincerely,
Martha