First Thyroid Cancer Research Grant Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association To Be Awarded in 2003

The first-ever thyroid cancer research grant to be sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. (ThyCa) will be awarded in early 2003, ThyCa Board Chair Gary Bloom has announced.

The American Thyroid Association (ATA), the professional association of clinicians and researchers concerned with thyroid diseases, will select the recipient of the ThyCa grant.

“This grant is an important first step in ThyCa’s growing effort to raise funds for research to improve the treatment of thyroid cancer, the most common endocrine cancer. More research on this challenging disease is urgently needed. We are grateful to everyone in the ATA for their concern and support for people dealing with thyroid cancer,” says ThyCa Board Chair Gary Bloom.

“We are proud and excited to support advances in thyroid cancer research,” says ThyCa Board Member and Fundraising Chair Joni Eskenazi. “The funds for our first-ever grant are the result of the dedicated volunteer efforts and generous contributions from thyroid cancer survivors, families, and friends.”

The ATA web site <www.thyroid.org> and professional journal Thyroid have announced the availability of the research funds and the eligibility guidelines. Applicants may be physicians or Ph.D.s involved in thyroid cancer research. The application deadline is January 31, 2003.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., is an all-volunteer, national nonprofit 501 (c)(3) service organization of thyroid cancer survivors, families, and health care professionals. ThyCa’s mission is education, support, and communication for people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for all types of thyroid cancer, as well as for their families and friends.

Free support services and resources include ThyCa’s award-winning educational web site, seven e-mail support groups, local support groups coast to coast, a Person To Person Network, a toll-free survivors’ telephone number, a free online newsletter, a free downloadable low-iodine cookbook, and regional one-day workshops.

In addition, ThyCa’s annual international conference brings together thyroid cancer survivors, families, and experts in thyroid cancer treatment and research. The 6th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference will take place October 24-26, 2003 in Houston, Texas, at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel.

Information about thyroid cancer, ThyCa's free support services, and the annual conference is available by writing to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, e-mail thyca@thyca.org, or the ThyCa web sitewww.thyca.org.