PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
January 2012
As we begin a New Year, we embark on one incredible Annual Mission of Hope and Honor, which will be enhanced in 2012 with the addition of "Code 3's human fire truck," Madison Firefighter Robert Verhelst. Firefighter Verhelst will strive to accomplish the unthinkable by completing 27 ironman distance triathlons in 2012, breaking the Guinness World Record in order to bring attention to our cause. His quest of hope and honor begins on January 8 in Naples, Florida, and we are grateful to have the support of the Naples firefighters behind us.
Firefighter Verhelst demonstrates the true spirit of a firefighter's heart, and we believe with your help he will garnish much support along the way. Our Mission will follow Firefighter Verhelst throughout the year as he strives to accomplish his incredible goal. See the 2012 Mission and World Record Schedule.
Reflecting back on 2011, we remember many incredible moments, too many to mention here. But one we will never forget was the recent honor of ringing the NASDAQ Opening Bell on December 27, 2011. Our gratitude is owed to Vice President David Wicks and all the staff members at NASDAQ who went above and beyond to make this event truly remarkable.
We also look back on some very sad moments this year. The 2011 Mission of Honor and Hope was extremely difficult for myself and our Firefighter/Cancer Survivor team. We were hit hard and saddened by the loss of our brother, Kevin Oldham, who joined our team during the 2010 and 2011 Missions. Kevin was an incredible inspiration to us all and, despite his pain from pancreatic cancer, he showed amazing courage throughout the journey and touched the lives of many firefighters throughout the country. Kevin's spirit and his eternal message of honor and hope will forever be carried with us on each journey. Kevin leaves behind his wife Katie and his two daughters, Stella and Evelyn. See Kevin's eternal message on YouTube.
As mentioned in the beginning of this message, the route for the 2012 Mission of Honor and Hope will follow FF Robert Verhelst’s incredible achievement of 27 Ironman events across America and beyond. Once again, throughout our journey we will pass on Kevin’s eternal message of encouraging our brothers and sisters to stay alert about warning signs and get those early cancer screenings.
Our goal for 2012 is to build a fund sufficient to launch into full operation by the end of the year, with all of our programs and services being implemented. Once that happens, 80% of our funds will go directly to firefighters, active or retired, who are battling cancer and facing a financial hardship. As we all know, cancer hits us not only physically and emotionally, but financially as well. While many may have the impression that firefighters are well taken care of when they are diagnosed with cancer, that is not always the case. Read more. Our goal is to relieve some of the additional stress and burden caused by the financial hardship brought about by cancer, and our vision is to have local firefighters in a fire engine arrive at the home of a firefighter and deliver a check to him or her.
Once we reach our income goal, in addition to 80% going to firefighters, 10% of our funds will go to other nonprofits who are fighting the war on cancer, and the remaining 10% will go to our operating costs. In a statement of support he wrote for Code 3 for a Cure, Anthony Robbins said, “When enough of us come together to reach a critical mass of caring, that’s the moment when change happens, and we gain an edge on this epidemic of cancer . . . Collectively, like ripples in a pond, we can generate a force powerful enough to one day defeat this deadly disease.” Although his statement refers to individual contributions, Mr. Robbins' powerful words can also be applied to organizations. There are many organizations out there that continually strive to defeat different aspects of cancer in different ways, and that poignant fact is why the Code 3 for a Cure Foundation wants to provide assistance to them as well. Read Anthony Robbins’ full statement, as well as that of other celebrities who have expressed their support for Code 3 for a Cure.
The goal of 90% of our funds being distributed will understandably require a large fund, as well as reliable sources of income. Thus, we have set an initial income target goal of $625,000 in 2012 in order to achieve these percentages. Individuals can donate here. Those who have more substantial funds to contribute, such as corporations, can learn about the benefits of becoming a sponsor by reading our Sponsorship Brochure. To review income levels over the past 3 ½ years that Code 3 has been in existence, as well as what those funds have been used for, view our financial statements.
From all of us here at Code 3 for a Cure, we wish you a safe and blessed New Year.
Lorenzo Abundiz
President & Founder
Code 3 for a Cure Foundation
MISSION OF HONOR AND HOPE
The Code 3 for a Cure Foundation's Mission of Honor and Hope is a journey taken on a fire engine once a year by a crew of cancer surviving firefighters, both active and retired. The purpose of the mission is to honor and remember those firefighters who have lost their lives to cancer, as well as to promote firefighter cancer awareness. Any firefighter who is a cancer survivor and is interested in becoming a member of the Code 3 Crew for the 2012 journey can contact us.
CANCER RISK GREATER AMONG FIREFIGHTERS
According to the American Cancer Society, half of all men and one-third of all women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. It is becoming more and more apparent just what an epidemic this disease truly is. That is why one of the goals of Code 3 for a Cure is to contribute a percentage of our funds toward organizations that are conducting cancer research, and/or helping those diagnosed. The main focus of our organization, however, is to provide assistance specifically to firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer and their families. Why? Statistics show that firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer than the general population due to their exposure to toxic substances throughout the course of their careers. Read more.
The Code 3 Crew will never forget.