Cancer funding woes

I’m worried. As I have said before when general cancer funding gets a cold, NET cancer funding gets pneumonia. But what seems to be going on in general cancer funding looks like much more than a cold–and what that means for NET cancer funding I’d prefer not to think about. That situation is making our Marathon Walk effort critical in the next few weeks.

The economy, the sequester…

The Komen Foundation has cancelled several events in major US cities this year because of hefty declines in registrations. Sources at the American Cancer Society tell me few Relays are reaching their goals for the year and that many are off substantially. The federal budget sequester is cutting the funds for cancer research by 10 percent across the board.

…the pressure on the budget of the Program in Neuroendocrine and Carcinoid Cancer at DFCI is going to be nasty…

My general sense is that fundraising for the Boston MarathonWalk are running behind as well. With less than two months to go before the event it seems to me the top teams and individuals have not generally raised as much as they had a year ago. I can’t say for certain that is true: I did not write down who had raised what at what point last year–and my personal success in raising money for that event has been much better so far this year than it was last year.

Hitting the wall

But my fundraising efforts have hit a wall in recent months. Our Walking with Jane goal for the Greater Fall River Relay for Life was $20,000 this year. We did not raise even half of that: $8,700. We saw slight bumps in three major fundraisers, but apparel sales slumped and a third major fundraiser fell $800 short of the previous year. We attracted several sponsors for the event, but far fewer than I expected. We still ended the year up by about $1,300.

…matching two years ago will take a herculean effort.

All that money goes into general cancer research and patient support.

Our Marathon Walk problem

Two years ago, the Caring for Carcinoid Marathon Walk team raised over $35,000 for NET cancer research. Last year, I was the only returning member of that team, and while my personal fundraising total more than doubled, we saw our team total decline by nearly half to just over $18,000. This year, so far, we have just two people back from last year and three rookies. Part of that has to do with the death of a family member to NET cancer barely a month ago, but it is increasingly clear even reaching last year’s team total may be difficult–and matching two years ago will take a herculean effort.

…my fundraising efforts have hit a wall…

My personal Marathon Walk fundraising is already about $400 ahead of what I raised total last year. But reaching the $20,000 goal I set for myself there seems increasingly difficult. A major fundraiser I have been working on seems increasingly unlikely to happen at all–and the energy for planning and executing some other ideas before the Jimmy Fund Walk is more difficult to find in the weeks since the Relay. The heat and humidity of recent weeks is not helping.

The big Marathon Walk NET cancer picture

I think our team will ultimately reach and exceed the amount we raised last year, which in the face of what is going on nationally will be a considerable accomplishment. But I don’t think it will be enough. There is another problem over which I have no control.

…what that means for NET cancer funding I’d prefer not to think about.

For several years there has been another Marathon Walk team raising money specifically for NET cancer. Their fundraising–even in our best year two years ago–has dwarfed our efforts. That team–at least so far–does not seem to exist this year. I’m hoping they have just changed their name. But if they haven’t, the pressure on the budget of the Program in Neuroendocrine and Carcinoid Cancer at DFCI is going to be nasty if we do not find some way to replace that money.