Dear Supporter,
You have contributed so much to our success this past year, and I want to share encouraging news from the work you made possible in 2021. Your investments have made such a difference and have helped fund our outreach programs, education, and research.
Throughout 2021, your generosity has helped change the lives of many in our community:
- In the last 6 months alone, we have assisted and navigated over 600 underserved patients.
- We have provided breast screenings for the underserved and information about the critical importance of early detection to 870 women.
- The request for programs, specifically transportation, continues to increase.
- We provided over $929,500 in grant funds for Gynecological Oncology Fellows, Radiation Oncology Fellows, and Researchers at the School of Public Health at University of Memphis and University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
There is much to be thankful for and with your help, we can meet a goal to double the number of patients we served in 2021. With your continued investments, we will see so many more lives changed for the better in 2022.
WestCancer Foundation is strong due to our continually expanding community coming together to donate time, resources, and talent in support of our important mission. Our Volunteers, Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, and so many others have helped us dramatically increase our donor base. Our ongoing goal is to keep overhead low while increasing our services in the community, and you truly make that possible.
I have had the great honor to serve as West Cancer Foundation’s Executive Director for two years, and it has been rewarding to say the least. In this celebratory time of the New Year, I look back upon 2021 with gratitude for you and the difference you’ve made in this community. Let’s look forward to an exciting 2022! The best is yet to come, and I wholeheartedly thank you for being a part of West Cancer Foundation.
In gratitude,
Leighanne Hart Soden, Executive Director
TRANSPORTATION 
Thanks to generous donors like you, we provide transportation to cancer patients who don’t have a safe and reliable ride and can’t afford to miss an appointment.
For many patients, radiation and infusion appointments are scheduled five days a week, for up to 10 weeks.
Through our pilot transportation program, patients can receive assistance through grant funds thanks to the generosity of West Cancer Foundation donors.
If you or someone you love needs transportation assistance, visit our website at https://westcancerfoundation.org/transportation.
JANUARY IS CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Cervical cancer is most often diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 44 and was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Fortunately, incidence rates of cervical cancer dropped by more than 50% from the mid-1970s to the mid-2000s due in part to an increase in screening, which can find cervical changes before they turn cancerous.
The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screening tests. Cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable forms of cancer when diagnosed, if detected early and managed effectively by an oncologist. This is why West Cancer Foundation is committed to education and training of the future of cancer care.
Pastor Dianne Young 
Our Board Member Spotlight this month is Pastor Dianne Young!
Pastor Young is committed to healing the community, and we are so lucky to have her on our board as Chair of Community Engagement and Outreach and leading our faith-based initiatives.
She was also recently nominated as a Mid-South Hero!
We are so thankful for all that she does for West Cancer Foundation and the community.
WEST FIGHT ON 2022
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 10, 2022, and get ready to cycle, run, or walk to beat cancer! West Fight On benefiting West Cancer Foundation will be LIVE and IN-PERSON this September at Shelby Farms Park! Stay tuned for more info and registration details.
SHE TO SEA
Ten amazing women will be venturing out from Memphis on March 19 for a five-day, 500+ mile biking journey to Seagrove Beach, FL for the inaugural She to Sea cycling event to help promote cancer awareness and raise money for the fight against cancer.
Thank you ladies so much for supporting West Cancer Foundation’s mission to help ensure cancer patients everywhere have access to the care and support they need! Your drive, dedication, and strength are truly inspiring!
She to Sea is ON thanks to presenting sponsor First Horizon Advisors – The Fountain Group. Every mile is possible because of them, and every dollar benefits West Cancer Foundation. Thank you so much, First Horizon Advisors – The Fountain Group!
Click here to support She to Sea and help raise funds for the fight against cancer, and click the icons below to follow these ladies on social media for updates on their journey!
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Great news: West Cancer Foundation has just been added to the Kroger Community Rewards Program, which means Kroger will donate a percentage of your spending to West Cancer Foundation. To participate, all you need to do is register your rewards card and shop!
Simply log into your Kroger account to enroll and search for West Cancer Foundation or our NPO number: GL323.
Step by step instructions can be found here:https://bit.ly/3Ieu8Bg
Thank you for your support, and happy shopping!
University of Memphis Designated Carnegie R1 University
The University of Memphis was recently designated as a Carnegie R1 University and is among the top tier of doctoral universities with the highest levels of research activity.
We are pleased to have supported this prestigious recognition for University of Memphis! This further strengthens their status as a world-class research university, and we are more excited than ever as we continue to grow our initiative with and fund critical research at UofM.
We are so grateful for the Memphis Fire Fighters Association and the Memphis Fire Fighters! They graciously donated $25,000 from their breast cancer awareness t-shirt sales to West Cancer Foundation, and since 2012, they have contributed over $175,000 for patient support and community outreach programs. Thank you so much for helping us raise awareness in the community and joining the fight against cancer!
International Paper Sponsors Ride 2 Rosemary Fundraiser and West Cancer Foundation with Grant
We are so very thankful to International Paper for supporting the Ride 2 Rosemary 11th annual fundraising bike ride with a $25,000 grant to West Cancer Foundation. We are especially grateful for the nine men, including one of our current board members and International Paper’s own Tim Nicholls, who started this incredible expedition and have since raised well over $1,500,000 to support cancer patients in our community.
Germantown Firefighters Join in the Fight Against Cancer
Jody Dwyer, Fire Marshal with the Germantown Fire Department stopped by to present a check to West Cancer Foundation from the annual breast cancer awareness t-shirts sales held in October. Over the last ten years, the Germantown Firefighters have raised over $15,000 in the fight against cancer through their annual t-shirt sales. We are so thankful for the continued support from the Germantown Fire Department!
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research, education, patient support, and community outreach.
None of this is possible without the generosity and support of our community.
Together we are helping cancer patients today and funding the treatments of tomorrow.
