Cancer Research Hospital For Children Is Subject of SVCC Fundraising Campaign
Fighting childhood cancer is a cause worth working for, and according to Dr. John Cavan, President of Southside Virginia Community College, the work that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is doing is simply outstanding. Dr. Cavan goes each year to Memphis to run in the fundraising marathon.
“Through the research carried out at St. Jude’s Research Hospital, the overall survival rate for childhood cancers has gone from less than 20 percent in 1962 to over 80 percent today.” Cavan said.
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The 2009 Fall Campaign for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was kicked off recently at Southside Virginia Community College by the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Pictured above with Dr. John Cavan (Right) are chapter officers and advisors on the Daniel Campus in Keysville. Advisors(Left to Right) Dr. Stanley Johnson and Ashley Leslie hold an Afghan that was handmade and donated by Mrs. Ann Cavan to be raffled off to help raise needed funds. Officers include Dustin Black, president; Jonathan Woods, treasurer; William Hollingsworth, secretary/Web Master, and Adeelah Salaam, vice president. |
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“For example, in 1962 the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, was 4 percent. Today the survival rate for this once deadly disease is 94 percent thanks to research and treatment protocols developed at St. Jude.” He said.
The officers and advisors of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society posed recently for pictures with Dr. Cavan to kick start this year’s fundraising effort at the Daniel Campus. The Honor Society each year includes St. Jude as one of its special projects.
In addition to Dr. Cavan’s marathon run, the PTK Chapter members plan to raffle off an Afghan handmade and donated by Mrs. Ann Cavan. Drawing for the winner of the Afghan will be November 29, 2009. The winner does not have to be present to win. Raffle tickets can be purchased from PTK members and at the switchboard at the college.
Other fundraising activities include the placement of collection jars throughout the campuses and at local businesses so that anyone can make a contribution. Booths for collecting donations will be periodically manned on campus and at community events.
No patient has ever been turned away from receiving treatment at St. Jude’s because of the family’s inability to pay, and it is the world’s premier cancer research center for children. It has treated children from all 50 states and around the world.
While Memphis is famous for Elvis Presley and the birthplace of the blues, the pink building of St. Jude makes it the center of the worldwide effort to find cures for cancer in children.
Founded by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, St. Jude treats about 260 patients each day, most as outpatients. It is the first institution established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research into childhood diseases, mainly cancer. Its daily operating cost is more than $1.3 Million with most of that amount coming from public contributions.
Persons wishing to write a check and receive a tax deduction acknowledgement, should make the check payable to St. Jude. All contributions will be sent with Dr. Cavan when he goes to run in the marathon on December 5.
(c) 2009. Southside Virginia Community College. All rights reserved.
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