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Safari for the
Soul
 WomensRadio
Editor in Chief, Pat Lynch, hosts Dana Dornsife, Executive Director of the
Lazarex Foundation, on Speak Up!
Listen Here
Name of Organization: Lazarex Cancer
Foundation
Website:
www.lazarexfoundation.org
Field: Health/Non-profit
Date Founded: January 2006
Founder: Dana Dornsife
Location: Local, National &
International
Contact Person: Jennifer LeBlanc,
925.828.2735 (office), 925.336.1382 (cell),
jenn@thinkresultsmarketing.com
Executive Director: Dana Dornsife,
President
Message from Executive Director, "When
You Believe"
“So many of our dreams at first seem
impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will,
they soon become inevitable.” – Christopher Reeve
"I have been blessed. I have been presented
with an opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with a team of dynamic
humanitarians—who are human beings first and doctors, scientists, geniuses,
care givers and entrepreneurs second.
Our mission is clear: To cure cancer.
We build with each other. They say the sum
is worth the total of its individual parts. We believe our sum is worth far
more than each of us alone. Our mission has a life of its own. We have been
assembled by a force far greater than any on earth. We are a group of
individuals from all over the globe who believe it is our duty to use the
gifts we have been individually given to serve mankind.
We believe in the process. Our mission is
grand, but we will not allow it to dissuade us. Our approach has been
questioned time and again, yet we continue to make progress. When a path is
presented, we follow down that path. We have accomplished more in ten years,
and with ten percent of the budget, than anyone else in our industry. We
operate under the radar because we choose integrity over profit, and we want
to provide a proven medicine before we make promises."
How many Members: No members
Mission Statement
To revitalize cancer patients and their
families with promising treatments, compassionate care, and comprehensive
wellness products and services.
Why was your Organization Launched?
Lazarex Cancer Foundation was launched to
change the face of cancer, one life at a time. Dana Dornsife, and her
husband, David, worked with Epeius Biotechnologies and their drug Rexin-G,
when Dana’s brother-in-law, Mike, had pancreatic cancer. The drug had an
amazing impact on Mike and he was able to spend more time with his three
young daughters as a result.
The drug however was very expensive. Dana
and Dave realized that many other patients were being left behind because
they couldn’t afford access to promising new therapies. They founded Lazarex
Cancer Foundation to change that.
Long-term, the vision is to develop
comprehensive cancer centers across the U.S. where patients and their
families can receive promising treatments, such as Rexin-G, and have easy
access to the wellness products and services they need, rather than being
forced to piece together those services in the midst of a devastating
diagnosis.
At this point, Lazarex Cancer Foundation is
a volunteer-run nonprofit supporting cancer patients who have been failed by
conventional medicine by providing financial assistance for, and access to,
new and promising treatments.
The Organization’s Goals for this Year
Raise funds to support more patients. 2008
goal is $500,000 in total donations including sponsorships.
Currently, Lazarex is supporting 16
patients who have not yet completed a full year of operations (first
official fundraiser was July 2007)! The goal is to expand the number of
patients to 50 by the end of 2008.
Spread the word about the financial support
and advocacy Lazarex Cancer Foundation can provide to end-stage cancer
patients and their families while developing the opportunities for local
fundraising in patient communities.
Community outreach - Increase patient
advocacy programs in the community.
Programs to Achieve Goals
1. Achieve fundraising goal of
$500,000 through developing corporate sponsorships and holding fundraising
events. This is an ongoing effort.
2. Engage a public relations firm to
“get the word out” about Lazarex Cancer Foundation in the Bay area and
Southern California initially. The goal is to synchronize the inflow of
donations with the outflow of grants approved to avoid being inundated with
requests that cannot be considered without proper funding.
3. As patients are aided from across
the country and the world (happening now), expand the message to patients’
local communities through print and media outreach.
4. Interact with the medical
community – initially in Northern California as a test pilot – to identify
areas of need related to cancer and how Lazarex can provide assistance. This
is a new undertaking and if successful will be ongoing.
Favorite National Holidays
June 3: National Cancer Survivors Day
September: Childhood Cancer Month
September: Take a Loved One for a Checkup
Day
October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Special Dates:
April 5: Safari for the Soul Fundraiser,
Sonoma, CA
July 4: Danville Fourth of July Parade
Entrant, Danville, CA
August 3: 5/10K Run, Lake Merritt, Oakland
, CA
October 18: It’s About Life Fundraiser,
Patrick David’s Event Center, San Ramon, CA
Annual Major Events
The very first annual fundraiser was on
July 21, 2007, with nearly 300 friends and supporters joining Lazarex Cancer
Foundation at the “Celebrating Hope” event At Blackhawk Country Club in
Blackhawk, CA. That night, Lazarex Cancer Foundation raised more than
$300,000 (gross) and $275,000 (net).
This year, the second annual fundraiser is
at the new Patrick David’s Event Center in San Ramon, and the Sun Kings (a
Beatles cover band) are booked for the event. The date is Oct. 18 and
tickets will be available later this year.
Additional important information not
previously covered This month, Lazarex Cancer Foundation is focusing on the
upcoming fundraiser, Safari for the Soul, on April 5 in Sonoma, CA. This is
a unique fundraising evening from 4-8 p.m. that includes an original African
art show and sale, delicious appetizers and samples of varietals from local
Sonoma wineries.
Safari for the Soul will take place in the
Spirits in Stone warehouse, located at 21889 8th Street East in Sonoma.
Guests will have access to an extensive collection of unusual and beautiful
African art, jewelry and sculpture and 30% of the price of all art purchased
during the evening will be donated to Lazarex Cancer Foundation, supporting
their goal of Changing the Face of Cancer, One Life at a Time.
Suggested donation is $35. If folks want to
support us but can’t come to the events, we encourage people to take a look
at our site, read about our patients and donate online through our website
at Learn more:
www.lazarexfoundation.org.
Credit: Wendy Markowitz
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