At 75, Roger Nuhn of Glasford is a relative newlywed. When he and Bonnie married five years ago, he joined a close-knit family—two daughters, five granddaughters and two great-grandsons (and another great-grandchild on the way). They all rallied around him when he started treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the winter of 2014.

So did his Illinois CancerCare family. Presented with the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial, Roger debated it, then decided, “What have I got to lose?” The answer: Nothing. He’s not only responding well to treatment—which he’s not sure he could have afforded on his own—but he’s also recovered the energy to do the things he loves. “I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without this treatment. Now, I feel like doing stuff again.” That includes plans to head to Florida with Bonnie to escape the coming winter.

Cutting-edge cancer treatments offered in our patients’ hometowns. Through the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), Illinois CancerCare shares in $2.5 million of annual funding for National Cancer Institute clinical trials. Patient costs for trials exceed that amount, however, resulting in a significant budget shortfall. The Foundation fills that gap—committing up to $400,000 per year for the next four years to help ensure local patients receive the quality care they deserve, close to home.

Roger Nuhn May 8, 2017