West Fight On is Almost Here!
Come one, come all, come West Fight On at Shelby Farms Park, Saturday, Sept 9. Make plans to attend the 11th annual West Fight On, and you’ll be in good company with Memphis’ own DeAngelo Williams in attendance. Williams, a West Cancer Foundation board member, lost his mother and four of his aunts to breast cancer, and he’s made it his mission to fight cancer and fund free mammograms. Thanks DeAngelo for all you do for cancer treatment in Memphis, especially for those who are underinsured or uninsured. You can cycle, run, walk or join the chorus of supporters in Celebration Village to cheer on teams and celebrate survivors.
- Cycle for 20, 40 or 60 Miles: $55.00
- 5K Run/Walk: $30.00
- 1 Mile Walk: $25.00
West Cancer Foundation and UTHSC Partner Together to Train Future Oncologists
Great partnerships achieve great things. That’s why we’re proud to partner with UT Health Science Center to fund its Oncology Fellowship program to support oncologists in training. West Cancer Foundation recently awarded a grant to UTHSC to fund a gynecological oncologist fellow for one year. The fellow will work closely with oncologists on critical research and education to advance the fight against cancer in our community. Since it was launched in 2020, West Cancer Foundation has awarded 15 grants to UTHSC totaling $1.19 million.
“We are developing the next generation of world-class oncologists through UTHSC’s Fellow and Residents Program, and it’s so rewarding to have West Cancer Foundation step up to add their support,” said Dr. Todd Tillmanns, Gynecological Oncologist and Program Director for the UTHSC’s Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship. “Our goal is for these fellows to learn the complex medical management required to care for our unique patient population in Memphis.”
Astronauts Conducting Cancer Research in Space
Astronauts at the International Space Station are conducting important cancer research that could change how certain cancers are treated. NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio recently worked in the Kibo laboratory module on stem cell samples for the StemCellEX-H Pathfinder study that aims to improve cell-based therapies for blood diseases and cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other hematopoietic cancers. Hematopoietic is defined as the formation of blood cells in the body. Experts believe expansion of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells from umbilical cord blood may significantly improve patient outcomes.
The goal of this outer-space research is to see how these cells behave in space, a weightless environment, and whether the expansion of stem cells in space have superior attributes for clinical use over cells expanded on earth. The hope is that this research will lead to a greater number of long-term engrafting multipotent stem cells. Thanks NASA Astronauts!
Hard Work was Emily’s Saving Grace During her Recovery
For Emily, being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer wasn’t a reason to stop working as the funeral director at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens in order to undergo treatment. Instead, it was a source of inspiration to continue working to help others. It was her work and the unwavering support from her employer that not only helped her through her recovery, but actually contributed to what she calls one of the most rewarding times of her life. And now her employer is paying it forward with its sponsorship of West Fight On for the second year in a row.
Moving on Up!
We’ve moved! West Cancer Foundation is growing and increasing our services to Memphis cancer patients. To accommodate our growth, we’ve expanded to new, larger offices. Thank you to our tireless board members who helped us find space and pave the way for our move and to our incredible staff who have taken on all of the extra work of moving offices while still providing great services to those in need in our community. Stay tuned for an exciting new development to come at our new location. Our new address is:
850 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Suite 207, Memphis, TN 38120
Our Mission
West Cancer Foundation’s mission is to break through barriers to cancer care and improve patient outcomes by providing accessible patient resources, early detection and education, and community-based research.
