New Thyroid Cancer Research Grants for 2006-2007 To Be Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association

Expert Panel from American Thyroid Association To Select Grant Recipients; Applications Are Due by January 31, 2006

In 2006, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., will continue the expansion of its research grant awards by funding two new 2-year thyroid cancer research grants, ThyCa Board Chair Gary Bloom has announced. The grant awards are open to researchers on all types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, anaplastic, medullary, and their variants.

A panel of thyroid cancer experts from the American Thyroid Association (ATA), the professional association of clinicians and researchers concerned with thyroid diseases, will select the grant recipients.

One grant will fund a research project focusing on papillary, follicular, or anaplastic thyroid cancer. The other grant will support a project focusing on medullary thyroid cancer.

The Call for Proposals and the grant eligibility guidelines will be available on the ATA web site atwww.thyroid.org. The deadline to submit a proposal summary is January 31, 2006. Authors of selected proposals will be invited to submit complete grant applications that will be due in the spring of 2006.

“We’re proud to be in our fourth year of grant awards and to continue expanding our thyroid cancer research grants,” said ThyCa Board Chair Gary Bloom. “There is a great need for more research on this challenging disease, because it's one of the few cancers that is increasing in both incidence and numbers of deaths. We greatly appreciate our alliance with the American Thyroid Association and the ATA’s support of patient and family well-being.”

“These grants are made possible by the wonderful generosity of thyroid cancer patients, families, and friends,” said ThyCa Board Member and Fundraising Chair Joni Eskenazi. “We extend our special thanks to all our contributors and the volunteers who help throughout the year organizing our fundraising and special events to support our annual Rally for Research.”

The first four grants funded by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., beginning in 2003, were awarded to researchers at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Heinrich- Heine University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany; and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

ThyCa; Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., is a national, all-volunteer nonprofit 501 (c)(3) service organization of thyroid cancer survivors, families, and health care professionals advised by nationally recognized experts on thyroid cancer and dedicated to education, communication, support, awareness for early detection, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.

Free year-round support services and resources include ThyCa’s award-winning educational web site, a Person To Person Network, local support groups coast to coast, regional one-day workshops, nine e- mail support groups, a toll-free survivors’ telephone number, an online newsletter, and the expanded 5th edition of the free downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.

In addition, ThyCa’s annual international conference brings together hundreds of thyroid cancer survivors, families, and experts in thyroid cancer treatment and research. The 9th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference will take place October 27-29, 2006, at the Sheraton World in Orlando, Florida.

Information about thyroid cancer, ThyCa's free support services and publications, and the annual workshops and conference is available by writing to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, e- mailing tothyca@thyca.org, calling toll free 1-877-588-7904, or visiting www.thyca.org.

Where to find grant eligibility details and online application on the American Thyroid Association Web Site:

http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/education/grants.html

OR

• Go to www.thyroid.org
• Select Professionals
• Select research grants
• Select call for research grants