2012 Gentlemen of Distinction

Every year we are excited to reveal our list of models for our October gala, the Bill Fleeman Gentlemen of Distinction fashion show. Every year we think "This is our best list yet!" Then, the next year we think "This is the best list yet!". The truth is that every list is the best - because we have so many terrific guys in Northwest Arkansas willing to give their time to support Hope Cancer Resources' programs.

Our 2012 list includes a Richard Gere movie double, a mountain climber, a former basketball star, a local t.v. celebrity, a doctor, a pastor, a lawyer, and nine more amazing guys! Take a look... we're sure you'll know someone.

Tickets for the event are available for $125 a piece, or you can purchase tables for six, eight, or ten people. Join us for a great show, dinner, an award presentation, and some terrific auction items, and leave knowing that your good time helped cancer patients across Northwest Arkansas have access to support that they need to become survivors.

Email Gay Prescott (or call at 479-361-5847) to purchase tickets or for information on sponsorship and event program ads. Follow our Gentlemen of Distinction page on Facebook to keep up with news and updates. We're sharing an auction item each day at 11:30 a.m.!

Be an "everyone".

"Thank you for all you have done for me. 

Having cancer is the pits, but with you and everyone on my side 
I can handle it!"

When we get notes like this in the mail, we are reminded that the work we do every day not only helps cancer patients pay the bills and buy their medications and put gasoline in their cars... we're not just providing information about cancer to individuals across Northwest Arkansas and helping them receive cancer screenings when their doctor says they need them... we are also providing hope. We are connecting people to a support system that helps them see past the treatment plan and the bills and the time off work. We let them know that others have been right where they are today, and they have made it through.

We let them know that they can become survivors, too.

We'd like to invite you to be part of our "everyone" and help us make a difference in a cancer patient's life. You can help us provide medications and gas cards and screenings...

You can provide hope.

Join us at Harps and Price Cutter stores in Northwest Arkansas between August 3rd and 12th, and when you check out you'll be given the opportunity to make a donation to Hope Cancer Resources. Choose an amount to add to your grocery bill, and the store will do the rest. It's simple, and for the people we help, it's life-changing.

• $5.00 can pay a co-pay for a prescription medication.
• $25.00 buys a gas card to help someone who lives in Berryville get to their daily radiation treatments in Fayetteville.
• $150.00 pays an electric bill so a patient doesn't have to skip buying groceries for their family that week.
• $450.00 pays the rent for a family whose sole bread-winner is on medical leave to treat her cancer.

In addition to hosting us for this annual fundraiser, Harps and Price Cutter stores are also presenting sponsors for our annual gala, the Bill Fleeman Gentlemen of Distinction. Their support has been vital as we have increased the visibility and financial support for our programs serving Northwest Arkansas. We're grateful for the efforts of their management and staff, and their commitment to Hope Cancer Resources and the people we serve.

Join us for the Battle!!

We're taking it to the streets! Our annual Heather Ridley-Fleeman Battle for Hope fundraising event is May 5th - only a few weeks away - and we want you to join us!

The Heather Ridley-Fleeman Battle for Hope was created by the family and friends of a lovely young woman who fought a brave battle of her own. She was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in her 20s, and lost her fight at the age of 28. The importance of early detection, knowledge of risk factors, and understanding of symptoms is a major part of this event that raises money to support Hope Cancer Resources' Save-A-Life program. 

We shared some info recently on colorectal cancer, including the good news that colonoscopies are saving lives. The bad news is, not everyone is able to afford a colonoscopy. Some insurance plans will not cover the procedure in individuals under the age of 50 (when regular colonoscopies for people at average risk are recommended to begin). But even with insurance coverage, a co-pay can amount to several hundred dollars.

Our Save-A-Life program provides assistance for screening and diagnostic tests, including colonoscopies and other colorectal-associated procedures, for uninsured and under-insured individuals in Northwest Arkansas with a physician's referral. These tests provide access to early detection, which offers a better chance for a cure should cancer be diagnosed. Without our assistance, some patients would not be able to get the tests they need in a timely manner, putting them at risk for a late-stage diagnosis with a lower chance for successful treatment.

Registration for the Battle for Hope is available online through the website. You can register yourself, or sign up as a member of a team to run (10k or 5k) or walk (5k or 1 mile). But if none of those options are appealing (we know not everyone is eager to get up early on a Saturday morning) you can still help by purchasing raffle tickets or tribute signs. The signs will line the courses on race day in honor or in memory of loved ones who have fought or are fighting cancer. Raffle tickets will give you a chance to win some very nice prizes - including a watch from Blakeman's Fine Jewelers, tickets to a show at Walton Arts Center, and gift baskets from local businesses. Best of all, you don't have to be present to win! A list of all the businesses donating prizes and raffle items for the event is located on the race website here, and our awesome event sponsors are here.

The deadline for signing up your team or purchasing tribute signs is April 20th - so don't delay! The first 400 to register will also receive a goody bag containing some nice coupons and freebies - and while the race shirt is always free with registration, sizes are limited after the 20th.

We hope to see you on May 5th!

Buy some groceries, change some lives.

Last week we shared some numbers with you that accumulated over the first half of 2011. The needs are great in Northwest Arkansas, and it's gratifying to know that we are doing so much to meet those needs. Our vision is to be recognized as the premier source for comprehensive cancer support services while enhancing quality of life, and we are making good headway.

But visions are successful only if they can be realized. We are no different from the vast majority of nonprofit organizations - we can't make our vision come to life without help. We have a fantastic staff who are committed to their work connecting cancer patients and their families with the support and resources they need throughout their cancer journey. We have a dedicated corps of volunteers who help us in the clinics, at fundraising events, and in the office. And we have wonderful donors and corporate partners in the community who support our programs and events, making the work we do everyday possible.

You are probably familiar with businesses supporting non-profits by providing cash or in-kind sponsorships for programs and events. But have you heard of a point-of-sale donation opportunity? A business asks their customers, usually while they are making a purchase, to join them in supporting a non-profit organization by making a donation. This kind of promotion is a win-win, as it provides a new audience for the non-profit while associating the business with a cause in the community that their customers may believe is important to support. We love these kinds of promotions because they raise awareness as well as dollars. We're grateful to Harps Food Stores for joining us in this kind of promotion for the third year in a row.

Between August 1st and 14th you can make a donation of any size to Hope Cancer Resources when you shop at any Harps Store in Northwest Arkansas (Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties). When you are checking out, just tell the cashier - if they don't ask you first - that you'd like to make a donation to Hope Cancer Resources. It's that easy!!

We are promoting this mini-event on Facebook and we'd love for you to join us there and share it with your own friends. The more who know about us, the more people we can help. And that's what it's all about.

It's October, so it must be Partners Card Time!!

The Partners Card is an annual effort scheduled for one week every fall in Central and Northwest Arkansas to benefit the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary.

The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute is an internationally known cancer treatment and research center and the Auxiliary arm of the organization "seeks to provide information, service, compassion and hope to those whose lives are touched by cancer." Hope Cancer Resources has been the recipient of grants from the Institute Auxiliary for many years, and we are happy to support their fund-raising efforts!

Purchase your card for $50.00, (available at our office) and for ten days you can enjoy 20% discounts at participating retail merchants - including these in Northwest Arkansas:

Call for more information. We hope you'll join us in this effort to support our organization and others in Arkansas benefiting from the generous work of the Auxiliary.

Summer Events for HOPE!

Get out your calendar! We have a great selection of events scheduled this summer to help HOPE get the word out about our programs and services, and to raise a little money to provide the support that is so desperately needed for local cancer patients in northwest Arkansas.

Check these out:

What: Homemade for HOPE
When: June 26, 2009 7am – 4:30pm
Where: Highland’s Oncology Group
3232 Northhills Drive, Fayetteville, 72703
Homemade baked goods for sale to benefit the patient assistance and clinical trials programs at HOPE, Inc. (Helping Oncology Patients Excel)
Need more information, or wish to donate? Call HOPE, Inc. at 479-571-4673


What: Happening for HOPE
When: July 23, 2009 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Where: Gullett’s Gourmet
326 N. West Avenue, Fayetteville, 72703
Live music, food specials, and great atmosphere – 10% of sales for the evening to benefit the patient assistance and clinical trials programs at HOPE, Inc. (Helping Oncology Patients Excel) Need more information? Call HOPE, Inc. at 479-571-4673


What: Hardbacks for HOPE (and Paperbacks too!)
When: July 24, 2009 7am – 4:30pm
Where: Highland’s Oncology Group
3232 Northhills Drive, Fayetteville, 72703
Pre-owned and gently used books for sale to benefit the patient assistance and clinical trials programs at HOPE, Inc. (Helping Oncology Patients Excel)
Need more information, or wish to donate? Call HOPE, Inc. at 479-571-4673


What: Rummage Sale for HOPE
When: August 7-8, 2009 8am – 4:30pm
Where: Highland’s Oncology Group
3232 Northhills Drive, Fayetteville, 72703
Tons of great items! Furniture, kitchen items, clothing, toys… all sales benefit the patient assistance and clinical trials programs at HOPE, Inc. (Helping Oncology Patients Excel) Need more information, or wish to donate? Call HOPE, Inc. at 479-571-4673


What: Happening for HOPE
When: August 27, 2009 6pm – 9pm
Where: Eddie Haskell’s
3300 Market Street, Suite 100, Rogers, AR 72758
Bring your friends and family out to enjoy a bite and a sip and help local cancer patients at the same time. 10% of sales will be donated to HOPE, Inc. for this Thursday night event at Eddie Haskell’s. Need more information? Call HOPE, Inc. at 479-571-4673.


As you can see, there is something planned for EVERYONE. We hope to see you there, and there, and there, and there... well, you get the idea.

5th Annual Heather Ridley-Fleeman Battle for HOPE

This week may have a prediction of rain, but we are gearing up for a break in the weather on Saturday so that we can share a morning of cancer education, activity, and awards with you in Bentonville!

What: Heather Ridley Fleeman Battle for HOPE

When: Saturday May 2 - 8:00 a.m.

Where: old Tiger Stadium site in Bentonville (corner of Bella Vista Dr. and Tiger Blvd.)

Why: Raising awareness for the need for early detection and prevention of colon cancer - the 2nd deadliest cancer in the United States.

The Battle for HOPE is so packed with activities for everyone in the family it will be impossible not to have a great time. The main events are a 10k and 5k run, but we also have a 5k walk, a 1-mile Family Fun Walk, several Kids' Races, and a 50-yard dash presented by Fresh Express.

In addition to the runs and walks, there will be massage therapists on site to soothe your muscles, snacks to replenish your body, and some bouncy, air-filled things for kids to jump around on.

You can register online at http://www.heathersraceforhope.com/ or in person at Fleet Feet Sports in Fayetteville through Thursday - then we'll be at the old Tiger Stadium site in Bentonville at 6:30 a.m. on the morning of the race to register all you last-minute folks.

This event benefits HOPE, Inc. to provide financial and emotional assistance and access to clinical trials to cancer patients living or being treated in NW Arkansas. All money raised stays here in our communities, and helps our friends, neighbors and loved ones who are battling cancer. For more info on HOPE, check out our website! http://www.hopenwa.org/