Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,   

Welcome to The Hope Foundation. We are a nonprofit that strives to bring together our multiple resources and talents in support of one common goal: the eradication of adult cancers. We activate this mission through support of one of the largest and most progressive Cooperative Oncology Groups in the country, the Southwest Oncology Group SWOG.

With over 1,500,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States, it is rare to know someone who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way. Statistics show that cancer is the second-leading cause of death—second only to heart disease—and that over half a million people die each year from the disease.  These facts are telling; there is no doubt that cancer is one of the major public health problems we face. But these numbers only tell half of the story. The other side of the story is one of Hope, of victory, of life.

The other characters in this story are the oncology professionals you read about on this site: the members and friends of the Southwest Oncology Group who dedicate their lives to eradicating cancer. Their dedication has made a difference. In 1975, the five-year survival rate among adults for all cancers averaged 50%. Thirty five years later, that number grew to over 66%; the five-year survival for a breast-cancer diagnosis jumped to 90%, colon to 65%, and prostate to 100%. This progress is fueled by research. With a membership of over 5,800 of the country’s best investigators, SWOG research is assuredly some of the best. SWOG finds answers to cancers through the highest-caliber clinical trials and professional trainings.

With the support of The Hope Foundation, SWOG has been a leader in Translational Medicine initiatives, which rapidly translates the positive outcomes of clinical trials into effective clinical practices. Hope also supports key programs: the internationally renowned Young Investigators Training Course provides mentorship and opportunity to outstanding new researchers in the field of oncology; The Coltman Fellowships provide the next step—awarding salary support for these investigators to pursue their careers in treating and preventing cancer.  The Foundation also offers direct research grants to support SWOG trials and increase collaboration with other cancer centers and research institutions. We believe these grants make an immediate and significant impact on the current standards of cancer medicine.

The Hope Foundation is honored to invest in SWOG’s work—to invest in a cure. We hope you will join us. We know that all of us are in this together, and like the cooperative group model of SWOG, we need to support each other, challenge each other, and learn from each other. We need to exchange information and exchange resources.  Indeed, the statistics show that this gets us all closer to a cure. Because the answers to cancers come from clinical trials.

Johanna (Jo) Horn, MSW
Executive Director, The Hope Foundation                                                                    
 

Data taken from the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Advances in Focus