2016 Major Milestones

2016 Major Milestones

2016 Major Milestones:

  1. DDBCF provided direct financial assistance to 244 families, while countless more received emotional support, services and hope.
  2. A record-breaking $215,457.97 in ​Direct ​Financial Grants​ were distributed.
  3. DDBCF established a new Directors of Patient Advocacy Board, consisting of: patients, caregivers and medical personnel.
  4. ​Two new and highly successful DDBCF fundraising events were established in 2016:
    a) The ​Inaugural Frank ​A. Cosimano Memorial ​Golf Classic presented by: Bergen Risk Managers ​and
    b) Shave the Date presented by: Swing Graphics
  5. The incredibly generous team from Informed Mortgage’s planned giving initiative set an all-time DDBCF record for Giving with an astounding $24,375.00 donated in the year 2016!
  6. DDBCF welcomed 2 returning members back to the Board of Directors; Carmen Malatino and Kelly Powers; while three new Board Members Jason Cosimano, Steve Crisalli and former Director of Patient Advocacy Bill Raney were invited to serve as well. ​Office space for the Foundation was secured at 364 North Main Street, Suite 10D in Manahawkin, NJ.
  7. ​Director of Patient Advocacy; Lauren M. Raney (7/28/1977-12/16/2016) was appointed by the Board of Directors as our Inaugural Trustee Emeritus.

2011 – 2016: 763 Families battling a cancer diagnosis have received $621,813.06 in Financial Grants! 

All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation want to thank our patients and their families for inspiring us each and every day. It was an extremely difficult end to 2016 with the passing of so many loved ones and friends of DDBCF including: Mallory, Anthony, Virginia, Melissa, Michael, Phyllis, Layard, Alice, Patricia and Lauren. Our thoughts, prayers and love remain with all of these families. In the midst of her own battle with cancer, Lauren Raney proudly served as an original member of our Directors of Patient Advocacy Board in hopes that she could offer support to other patients battling this deadly disease. What Lauren may not have realized before her passing on December 16th is that she not only offered our current patients support and hope but lifted the spirits of any and every person that was blessed to have crossed paths with her.. On December 20th 2016, the DDBCF Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Lauren M. Raney as our first ever Trustee Emeritus. Lauren will be forever honored for her service as a Director of Patient Advocacy while all of us trust that she will eternally watch over and guide us on this journey.

Thank you to our Executive Partners at Informed Mortgage. Informed Mortgage’s planned giving initiative has set a high standard for charitable giving thanks to the efforts of Stephen, Christopher, Michael, Informed Mortgage Staff and all their customers.

Thank you to our community partners, sponsors, auction donors and volunteers!

Thank you to the parents and kids from our youth group, Generation Dream. This motivated, talented and compassionate group of kids are determined to make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and their families.

Thank you to students from our Southern Regional High School group led by teachers Ms. Rebecca Posch and Mrs Jody McLennan.

Thank you to our community partners, Dawn and Pete from Swing Graphics and Ryan Johnson from Ryan Johnson Photography for their help with photo, images and multiple revisions to content.

A special thank you to our Board of Directors (Steve Crisalli, Dani Corso, Kristin Panzone, Bill Raney, Kelly Powers, Jason Cosimano, Tim Hall) who serve the mission of the Foundation on a 100% volunteer basis!

Please take a minute to look back on 2016 with us in the attached summary of accomplishments. Please know that if you attended one of our events, donated an auction item, sponsored an event, volunteered or made an individual donation – YOU are responsible for providing HOPE to a family diagnosed with cancer that desperately needs our help. THANK YOU! Our Mantra for 2017 is: #WeWill

David Caldarella, Stage IV cancer Survivor

2016 Major Milestones

Survival of the Mills Wrap-Up

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The Law Office of William Wright presents: Survival of the Mills

Not surprisingly, the weather was absolutely horrendous for Survival of the Mills yesterday and was probably the worst weather for an event in DDBCF history including our Inaugural Frank V. Panzone Jr. Memorial Cruisin for a Cure back in 2013. Horrendous weather for a DDBCF event is “Kind of the Norm” but this event takes place entirely outside with athletes competing and volunteers in this weather for the better part of 3-8 hours. Temps never got above 55 degrees, winds were steady at 20mph with gusts hitting 30mph and steady to soaking downpours the entire day.
However, and this is a big HOWEVER, that did not stop over 100 athletes from competing and did not stop almost 30 volunteers from volunteering all day in that horrendous weather to benefit families battling a cancer diagnosis!!! 
A HUGE thank you to Race Director Ross Reynolds from Trident Multisport and Southern Regional Middle School for creating, managing and directing a fantastic event in extremely difficult conditions. Thank you to Ross’s wife Marissa for her continued support and event day management. This event would not be possible without the combined support from Ross and Marissa Reynolds.
Thank you to Rebecca Posch who is a teacher at Southern Regional High School and one of the moderator’s for our David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation student group at SRHS. Rebecca volunteered all day along with approx. 25 students from our SRHS group. This was not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination so thank you very much.
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor: The Law Office of William Wright. It was a family affair at Survival of the Mills for the Wright family. Bill finished first in his age group for the triathlon, his dad Dave finished second in his age group for the duathlon and Bill’s uncle Joe finished first in his age group for the duathlon. Bill and his staff at The Law Office of William Wright are the newest members of our Community Partner level of sponsorship. This level is reserved for businesses committed to the mission of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation with combined efforts of: financial sponsorship, raising awareness and volunteerism in excess of $10,000.00.
We want to thank all the sponsors for Survival of the Mills including our financial and food sponsorships. Thank you to Donna Carlson for all her support securing food donations, transporting them to and from and setting up our race-day food and beverage. Thank you to Pete and Dawn from Swing Graphics for creating all the graphic design for the event. Thank you to Ken Sullivan from Shore Promotions for our event shirt.
A special thanks to the 100 athletes that not only endured a challenging 5-stage triathlon, 5-stage duathlon or 5K course but extremely difficult and horrendous weather conditions. The tag line for this event is: You never know how Strong you are until being Strong is the Only choice You have. Our patients and their families battling a cancer diagnosis don’t have a choice in their battle against a cancer.

THANK YOU to everybody involved in Survival of the Mills including: race director, volunteers, athletes and sponsors who woke up and decided to make a difference in the life of a family battling a cancer diagnosis. 

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Southern Regional High School | David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation

Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School

We were informed yesterday the that final approval was granted to begin a David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation student group at Southern Regional High School starting September 2015! We want to thank Rebecca Posch for not only putting in the effort to create this group but also serving as the advisor for this group. We want to thank Superintendent Craig Henry, the Board of Education and Principal Eric Wilhelm for supporting this DDBCF student group at SRHS.

The SRHS students will have numerous volunteer opportunities at DDBCF events throughout the year. The students will also take ownership under Ms. Posch’s guidance to plan and execute their own fundraisers/programs to benefit the families of DDBCF. Please look for sign-ups around school in late September. We hope you join this exciting new SRHS student group that is dedicated to paying it forward for local families affected by a cancer diagnosis!