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A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of thyroid cancer survivors,
families, and health care professionals

Fact Sheet
Click here for PDF version

Purpose

• Education, communication, support, awareness for early detection, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.

Services

• Award-winning web site
• More than 700 pages of information about thyroid cancer, support services, and more. Includes materials in Spanish and French.

Online Support Groups

Linked through our Web site.

• Thyca - Thyroid Cancer Support Group(mainly Papillary, Follicular, and their variants)
• Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Support Group
• Medullary Thyroid Cancer Support Group
• Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Support Group
• Advanced Thyroid Cancer Support Group
• Long-Term Survivors Support Group
• Love, Loss, & Legacy Support Group
• ThyCa Mental Challenges Support Group
• Childbearing and Thyroid Cancer Support Group
• Caregivers Support Group
• ThyCa Young Adults Support Group
• Inspire Online Community

Local Support Groups

• More than 90 in-person support groups

Person-to-Person Network

• One-to-one support, matched by diagnosis.

Facebook and Twitter

Toll-Free Survivors’ Telephone Number

Free Regional Workshops

Free Thyroid Cancer Basics booklets, Patient Information Packets, and Pediatric Backpacks

Free Low-Iodine Cookbook

• Downloadable from our Web site. Over 250 recipes contributed by more than 100 thyroid cancer survivors.

Newsletters

• \Free online ThyCa Journeys, plus Membership Messenger newsletter.

Research Funds and Grant Funding

Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

• September. Free awareness brochures with actress Catherine Bell, and other free materials.

15th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference

• 13th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Conference
  October 14-16, 2012
  Chicago, Illinois
  Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca, Illinois

ThyCa History

• 1995: Organized first Online Support Group.
• 1996: Organized first Local Support Group.
• 1997: Started first E-Mail Support Group.
• 1998: -Sponsored first annual Survivors’ Conference.
• 1999 :
  • Established Web site at www.thyca.org.
• Became nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
• Established Survivors’ Toll-Free Telephone Number.
• Received StudyWeb Academic Excellence Award.
• Started e-mail groups for medullary and anaplastic.
• 2000:
  • Started e-mail group for pediatric thyroid cancer.
• Established Medical Advisory Council.
• Organized Person-to-Person Network.
• Established Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week.
• Initiated Member Messenger newsletter.
• Published Low-Iodine Cookbook.
• 2001:
  • -Started e-mail group for advanced thyroid cancer.
  • Initiated Thyroid Cancer Research Fund.
  • Initiated free online newsletter, ThyCa Journeys.
• 2002: Started e-mail groups for caregivers and long-term survivors.
• 2003:
  • Funded ThyCa's first thyroid cancer research grant, the first ever funded by patients, families, & friends.
  • Initiated Medullary Thyroid Cancer Research Fund.
• 2004:
  • -Introduced Thyroid Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pin.
  • Started e-mail groups for coping with mental challenges and love, loss, and legacy.
  • Expanded Awareness Week to Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, starting in September 2005.
• 2005:
  • Introduced Awareness Wristbands and Magnets.
  • Developed Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Web site.
• 2006
  • Developed Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Web site.
• 2007
  • Launched Medullary Thyroid Cancer Web site
• 2008
  • Started e-mail group for childbearing and thyroid cancer.
• 2009
  • Started e-mail support group for young adults with thyroid cancer.
• 2010
  • Launched Inspire Online Community
• 2011
  • Launched Twitter presence
  • Sponsored 6 free webinars with thyroid cancer experts
  • Published 50-page Thyroid Cancer Basics booklet
    

Funding

• Funding comes from membership dues, donations from individuals and organizations, and unrestricted educational grants. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) Tax ID #52-2169434

Members and Volunteers

• We welcome new members and volunteers at any time.
• Volunteer opportunities are listed on our web site.
• The Membership page on our web site has the form for joining ThyCa as a one-year member, two-year member, or lifetime member.

How To Contact Us

• Web site
• E-mail: thyca@thyca.org
• Call Toll-Free: 1-877-588-7904 Fax: 1-630-604-6078
• Write: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
  PO Box 1102, Olney, MD 20830-1102