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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

When you consider all the things you’d like to pass on to your children, cancer certainly doesn’t make the list. But given her family’s history, Ann Best knew it was a possibility. Ann, her mother and her sister are all survivors, and she’s lost several aunts and cousins to the disease.

After much deliberation, Ann underwent genetic testing. Since then, two of her siblings and several of her nieces and nephews have done the same. She’s hoping her two sons will undergo testing soon.

Family members have received a mix of positive and negative results, but whatever the outcome, Ann’s convinced it’s better to be proactive than reactive. “There’s so much anxiety when you think about how this knowledge might affect your kids. But the more you know, the better equipped you are to deal with it.”

Knowing the important role the Foundation plays in helping promote and advance testing locally, Ann remains a vocal advocate, serving as a volunteer, donor and board member. “For my kids, I want to see really good research continue right here. The Foundation helps keep Illinois CancerCare on the cutting edge of treatments and therapies.”

The Foundation supports genetic screening programs to identify hereditary cancers, with special emphasis on families at risk for colorectal and breast cancer. Your contributions help those in need receive financial assistance for tumor sequencing—and empower people to understand their risks and make informed decisions about their futures.

Ann Best May 8, 2017

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