VFW
Ladies Auxiliary Generously Supports U-M Colon Cancer Research
"We have a number of world-renowned clinicians and basic
researchers who are involved in colon cancer research." -- Dr.
Alfred Chang
Shirley Feirer put
more than 42,000 miles on her new van last year. But it was
worth it - she and her team raised $215,000 for cancer research,
$43,100 of which the U-M Cancer Center recently received for
colon cancer research. Mrs.
Feirer served as last year's state president for the Ladies
Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and she
and her friend Rose Gallagher spent the year traveling through
Michigan visiting VA hospitals and homes and raising money
by selling special angel pins.
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Left: Rose Gallagher, Marian Reeve, Shirley Feirer
and Alfred Chang, M.D.
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Each state's Ladies Auxiliary has a program to raise money
for cancer research. Led by Marian Reeve, last year's cancer
chairperson in Michigan, the ladies raised enough money through
VFW conventions, auctions, raffles and special events to get
back 20 percent of their total sales from National Headquarters
to give to a local research facility of the president's choice.
Mrs. Feirer selected colon cancer research because
her mother, at age 97, is a colon cancer survivor. She selected
the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center to
receive the funds because, "U-M has always been top on my
list. You're on the cutting edge. If anyone is doing colon
cancer research, it's U-M," said Mrs. Feirer. "U-M is also
where my two sons were born in the 1950s!"
Alfred Chang,
M.D., accepted the check saying he envisions organizing
a special retreat to identify innovative new areas to which
this funding can be applied. "We have a number of world-renowned
clinicians and basic researchers who are involved in colon
cancer research. In particular, our genetics program is looking
at how genes become altered, and how we can take that information
and apply it to prevention and new treatments," explained
Dr. Chang, who leads the U-M's Gastrointestinal Oncology program,
one of only a few such programs in the nation.
For more information:
Visit the Gastrointestinal Clinic
Visit the "How
to Support Our Mission" section to learn how you
can help.
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