FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jenny Heumann
September 28, 2005
703-519-1427
Wendy Stokes
703-299-1014
ASCO FOUNDATION ESTABLISHES RELIEF FUND
TO HELP CANCER PATIENTS IN HURRICANE-STRICKEN GULF COAST
-- Goal To Provide at Least $1 Million in Assistance --
Alexandria, Va. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Foundation has set up a
relief fund with the goal of raising at least $1 million to help cancer patients from the Gulf Coast
region affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
One hundred percent of the donations to The ASCO Foundation Hurricane Relief Fund will be
disbursed by The ASCO Foundation to support cancer patients from southern Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, who have been affected by the hurricanes and are in need of
critical support services.
These funds will be made available through qualified nonprofit organizations that provide direct
assistance to cancer patients, including a special partnership with CancerCare, a national
nonprofit organization that offers free financial and psychosocial support services to people with
cancer.
"We realize that many cancer patients and their families who have been displaced are not only
dealing with the challenges of their cancer diagnosis and treatment, but also with the trauma of
uncertainty and temporary relocation," said ASCO President Sandra J. Horning, MD. "By
providing critical financial support through The ASCO Foundation Hurricane Relief Fund, all
Americans can help the thousands of cancer patients who have been hit so hard by these
catastrophic events."
Funds will be made available through the end of 2006 to be sure ASCO's support reaches cancer
patients as their personal situations and needs emerge over the coming year.
ASCO's Other Hurricane Relief Resources:
Immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in late August, ASCO set up relief
resources through its member website, ASCO.org, and its patient website, People Living With
Cancer (PLWC.org), including:
· A list of cancer practices and institutions available to absorb displaced cancer patients.
· A public message board where doctors can connect with their patients and one another.
· Partnerships with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and CancerCare to help place
patients in treatment centers and provide necessary support services.
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Contributions to the ASCO Foundation Hurricane Relief Fund are tax-deductible.
Donations can be made by cash, check or credit card:
1) By phone: Jennifer Macotto, Sr. Manager, The ASCO Foundation, (888) 220-2839
2) Via the ASCO Foundation's website: www.ascofoundation.org
3) By mail:
The ASCO Foundation
Attn: The ASCO Foundation Hurricane Relief Fund
1900 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
The ASCO Foundation is a 501c(3) organization, and gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent
of the law.
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THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINCIAL ONCOLOGY (ASCO)
ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians of all oncology
subspecialties who care for people with cancer. ASCO's more than 23,000 members from the
United States and abroad set the standard for patient care worldwide and lead the fight for more
effective cancer treatments, increased funding for clinical and translational research, and,
ultimately, cures for the many different types of cancer that strike an estimated 10 million people
worldwide each year. ASCO produces People Living With Cancer (www.PLWC.org), an award-
winning website providing oncologist-vetted cancer information to help patients and families
make informed health-care decisions.
THE ASCO FOUNDATION
The ASCO Foundation supports education programs of the highest quality in cancer care and
prevention; facilitates the dissemination of information about cancer and cancer treatment to
patients and their families; and, through its grants program, supports, encourages, and
recognizes excellence in clinical research in the field of oncology.
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