As I celebrate my birthday this year, I want to share a personal milestone. In September 2023, I was faced with the life-altering news of a breast cancer diagnosis. The journey has been challenging, but with the incredible support of my family, friends, and the medical community, I am thrilled to announce that I am now a breast cancer survivor.

I am incredibly grateful that my diagnosis was identified early, however, the fight continues for so many including my younger sister, Laura. We shared everything growing up since we are only a year apart BUT we never thought we would be diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time. Our stages and situations are quite different. She continues to undergo treatment. Details of her journey can be found here. Please do not hesitate to reach out to her to express your love and support.

The importance of ongoing cancer research cannot be overstated.  It plays a crucial role in advancing treatments, improving outcomes, and ultimately finding a cure for this devastating disease. I was reminded of this first-hand as a patient, a sister of a loved-one experiencing these medical advancements, and through my work at the William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation. Please join me in fundraising for good on my birthday and donate to WGFRF personally or through corporate matching opportunities.

Your donations to the Foundation fund our mission of bringing top-notch cancer research scientists together in collaborative topic driven meetings held across the world. Topics for the 2024 meetings can be found here. These intimate meetings are like no other. They provide an open forum for 16-20 scientists to share their unpublished work with like-minded colleagues without the traditional barriers usually experienced at large scale conferences. This allows them to focus on real discussions, receive feedback on their work, and challenge the traditional line of thinking. This helps them continue their exploration in the field of oncology and bring their findings to the forefront to save more lives.

Thank you for being a part of my journey and supporting this important cause! Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be a resource in any way.

All the best,

Marla Schrager, CAE
Associate Director
William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation