We’ve all been affected by cancer in some way. It might have been our mother, brother, aunt, grandfather or friend, but when a person gets the diagnosis, the effect ripples throughout the family.

About one out of every two American men and one out of every three American women will have some type of cancer at some point during their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

Your gift will help each one of us, including our families and friends, in the fight against cancer by helping to provide the following programs and services:

Cancer Care Boutique:

Parrish Medical Center’s new “Cancer Care Boutique” will provide a pampering environment with the resources to help cancer patients adjust to the psychosocial effects of cancer. The boutique will be used to focus on a patient’s self-esteem and well-being by providing wigs, turbans, hats, bras, and prostheses. Your gift will help transform our current room into a pampering boutique, which will help provide patients with healing experiences.
Total need: $35,000 - Funded through the 2010 Masquerade Benefit Ball

Cancer Research Fund:

Parrish Medical Center has conducted various quality of life clinical trials including participating in the SELECT chemotherapy prevention study for prostate cancer and the Total Cancer Care protocol with Moffitt Cancer Center. Currently, we are undergoing a clinical trial dealing with cachexia in cancer patients. Cachexia is a wasting syndrome that causes weakness and a loss of weight, fat, and muscle. The goal of this clinical trial is to improve the quality of life for cancer patients so they are strong enough to respond to and handle cancer therapies.

Because we do not have all the answers, we need clinical trials just like this one to help us find the best care for cancer patients. Your gift will allow local researchers to develop their ideas and apply for further funding from other sources. Without your assistance, potentially life enhancing ideas will remain just that – ideas.
2010 need: $25,000 for Cachexia Clinical Trial ($21,000 funded, remaining need: $4,000)
Cancer research is dependent upon your gifts to this fund  

Screening Mammograms:

Breast cancer is the number one cause of death in women from the ages of 35–54; it produces more diagnostic tests yearly, surgical procedures, and post-surgical diagnostic testing than any other cancer. 

Screening mammograms can find breast cancer early, when it's most treatable. It is the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer. Your gift will provide this life-saving test to low-income, uninsured women.
A gift of one screening mammogram: $500
Annual need: $50,000 for 100 mammograms

Breast Health Awareness Program:

Our breast health awareness program will ensure that all women with abnormal screening results receive adequate and timely follow-up care by providing coverage for breast biopsy fees, including needle localization, for under or uninsured women.
Annual need: $50,000 – Funded for 2011