January 30, 2015
Today, at Cancer Research Simplified (CRS), we are celebrating our 2nd Anniversary and we invite you to share the happiness with us! Thanks to all of our supporters, sponsors, our team, volunteers and ambassadors, we have accomplished a great deal in 2014, which you can learn all about in our 2014 Yearly Report below. We have many more exciting plans for this coming year in 2015, and we are excited to start with a bang: Our 2015 CRS Cancer Symposium Series, the first of which will be held on Breast Cancer on February 4th, 2015 in Somerville, MA kindly sponsored by Genentech, Boston Thermography Center, The Printing House, MBTA, Life Alive Organic Café, FlatBread Company, Iggy’s Bread, J.P. Licks, as well as the kind help of Jamie Bell at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your continuous support, either by monetary donations, in-kind donation or services, or by being our ambassadors to help to spread the word about us, our work, and events.
We can’t wait to provide you with more of our amazing programs and services this year, to connect with you and work together to accomplish our mission: Cancer Education for All™!
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Ayguen Sahin, MSc, PhD
CEO and Founder
Cancer Research Simplified
January 31, 2015
In 2014, Cancer Research Simplified marked its second year and distinction of being the only worldwide cancer organization with its unique mission statement:
- Educate the public and to provide easy-to-understand information about cancer types, causes, research, treatment, and prevention for cancer patients, those impacted by the disease and the general public;
- Bridge the gap between cancer patients and cancer scientists, who work to eradicate the epidemic
- Provide cancer research scholarships for high school students worldwide who have an aptitude and a passion for advanced careers in cancer research.
CRS took on these three goals with great diligence and pride, gaining worldwide acclaim for its passion of purpose at the Harvard Extension Business Society’s “Pitch Your Passion” contest, where CRS won a finalist position. Furthermore, CRS was honored to be invited to the REV2014 Meeting in Washington, DC, where CEO Dr. Ayguen Sahin met with world-famous advocates fighting against cancer and discussed in round tables the new roles of cancer organizations and how CRS achieves these roles. CRS achieved status among its peers worldwide, and these achievements later resulted in a grant from Genentech for its 2015 CRS Cancer Symposium Series.
At the same time of the conference, CRS was invited to talk about its mission to the Office of U.S. Senator Edward Markey, making CRS a recognized force in its mission.
The emphasis on patient empowerment rang loud and clear throughout 2014. CRS reached many people through its website, journal (JSCR), videos, career fairs, street fair events, unique TV Show (Cancer Explained!™), sports and recreation events, unique cancer game (CRS Cancer Quiz Game™), and patient empowerment by its online #empowermentagainstcancer campaign, found on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and its other social network sites, and helped patients and loved ones. Thousands of hours of education and worldwide successful, trusted and appreciated resource and information guidance to patients and family members through referrals to us from around the globe were provided through these channels, gaining CRS a strong and trusted foothold in delivering its mission. The gratefulness of people worldwide for CRS, shown by their testimonials on what CRS has brought into their lives can be read on CRS’s site at Great Nonprofits. Furthermore, our work has become a trusted and cited source worldwide, not only by the public, but also by other cancer organizations, as seen in this screenshot:
Before we go into further details of our accomplishments in 2014, we would love to acknowledge our generous sponsors and collaborators in the year of 2014, who made our amazing events possible: Elegant Minerals, The Body Shop, MG Photography, Brooklyn Boulders, SCATV, Harvest Coop, Trader Joes, The Whole Foods Market, Polar Beverages, Life Alive Organic Café, Iggy’s Bread, and Emerald Lounge.
With great pride here is a chronological listing of accomplishments for CRS in 2014:
In January, CRS launched its African Cancer Education Program, along with its Cancer TV Show, which is a continuing series about all types of cancer, aired through Somerville Cable Access TV (SCATV) on Channel 3, and streamed online on SCATV and CRS’s websites.
In February, CRS was invited to attend the Princeton Startup Career Fair and Harvard Startup Career Fair at the iLab, CRS met with fresh and new minds, which resulted in successful recruitments.
In March, CEO Dr. Sahin was invited by the principal to hold a presentation for the middle school students at the Yönder Schools in Istanbul, Turkey.
In April, the power of the CRS mission was well received and recognized by both the Harvard Extension Business Society and the REV2014 event, mentioned previously. CRS was also invited to the Yale Biomedical Career Fair, continuing to inspire young cancer researchers, resulting in successful recruitments.
In May, CRS exhibited at the MayFair in Harvard Square and raised funds and awareness at the Minuteman Bike Ride, “Cycling for Cancer Cure and Prevention”, in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.
In June, CRS was on the march (more like a hike) for cancer education in one of its many fundraisers to raise both awareness and revenue for cancer cure and prevention. Dr. Sahin walked and talked about cancer and cancer research with hikers coming from around the world in a comfortable setting. The walk was promoting exercise and a “camp” that provided cancer education to the participants.
In July, CRS was honored as a 2014 Top-Rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits, an honor that is bestowed upon those organizations that put people in front of profits, and to give their followers great services. This was yet another distinction CRS could receive, in a year of many firsts.
Furthering its exercises from June, CRS held its “Climb It Up for Cancer” event at Brooklyn Boulders in Somerville, MA.
In August, CRS held its “Kayaking for Cancer” event with a large number of international participants, including cancer researchers from Boston’s renowned institutes such as Harvard and MIT to the general public, through CRS’s commitment in bringing these two groups together.
September was a truly an exceptional month for CRS. CRS published its first issue of the Journal of Simplified Cancer Research (JSCR), citing the latest developments in cancer research, including ‘simplified’ articles on advances in pharmaceuticals, FDA approvals, psychology and other disciplines, and general cancer education, written by its Research Team members from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Furthermore, CRS received its first grant from a major pharmaceutical company, Genentech. This grant allowed CRS to present its Symposiums, the first of which will be held on breast cancer on February 4th, 2015 in Somerville, MA.
October was a month of great planning for the future, as CRS was working with cancer researchers and doctors in its Cancer Series, all to be presented in 2015.
In November, Great Nonprofits honored CRS as a “Final Winner” of the 2014 Top-Rated Non Profits. CRS also held a 2nd Minuteman Bike Ride for Cancer Cure and Prevention in Somerville, MA.
In December, CRS hosted its second fundraiser “The CRS Golden Hearts™” recognizing heroes and heroines (current cancer patients, survivors, or those passed away from around the globe) on its dedicated wall. Like all other CRS events, there was another CRS Cancer Quiz Game™ and the “Volunteer of the Year Award 2014” was issued. CRS also appointed three new Board Members and achieved its 1,000+ organic “Likes” on Facebook.
2014 was a year of many accomplishments for CRS, with still more exciting challenges facing it for 2015, but CRS moves on confidently into 2015 with its usual energy and vitality. We are looking forward to continuing this journey with you in 2015 and beyond!
Respectfully Submitted,
Ayguen Sahin, MSc, PhD
CEO and Founder
Cancer Research Simplified