Debbie's Dream Foundation Publishes 2020 Annual Report Highlighting the Organization's Most Successful Year Despite the COVID-19 Global Pandemic
DDF shares how transitioning to virtual events and launching new initiatives helped address the immediate needs of stomach cancer patients and families.
PLANTATION, Fla., May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) published its 2020 annual report highlighting how the organization successfully transitioned to operating virtually during the COVID-19 global pandemic. In the report titled, "Stomach Cancer Never Stopped: One Year of Navigating a Global Pandemic and a Deadly Disease," DDF shares how its staff worked remotely to manage routine programs such as educational webinars and hosting multiple virtual symposia. Despite canceled fundraising events, the organization launched several supplemental programs and initiatives to keep the stomach cancer community safe, supported, and informed. All of which helped contribute to the organization's most successful year yet.
DDF continued its Patient Resource Education Program throughout the pandemic, offering free stomach cancer educational webinars and virtual symposia and providing patients and caregivers peer-to-peer mentorship. Its Monthly Stomach Cancer Support Groups were held virtually via Zoom in partnership with Catholic Hospice. The organization also launched new initiatives such as its COVID-19 Resources and Support Program to provide updates and prevention information, a meal delivery service, a telehealth webinar, and a Facebook LIVE mental health series to help patients cope with fears and anxiety during the pandemic. DDF also hosted its first Facebook LIVE cooking demonstration featuring modified recipes for gastric cancer patients. In addition, the organization launched the Dream Makers Miracle Fund to help spread joy and bring hope to patients and families by granting bucket-list wishes of travel, adventure, and lasting memories.
"DDF is extremely fortunate to have survived this pandemic while so many organizations and businesses struggled," said DDF's Chief Executive Officer Andrea Eidelman. "Our transition to virtual operations was experimental, but it proved to be a successful strategy to serve our mission and meet the needs of this community. We're thankful to have had the support of our amazing partners—partners such as The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, and Massachusetts General Hospital—sponsors and donors that helped keep our mission going and expand our programs in meaningful ways during trivial times."
To read DDF's full 2020 Annual Report, visit www.DebbiesDream.org/financial-reports. For more information about DDF, visit www.DebbiesDream.org.
About Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
DDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gastric cancer, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support internationally to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF seeks as its ultimate goal to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality.
DDF was founded in 2009 by Debbie Zelman after she was diagnosed with stage IV incurable gastric cancer in 2008 and given only weeks to live. Debbie is considered a pioneer by many for bringing awareness to the plight of stomach cancer patients worldwide and the lack of federal funding for stomach cancer research. She achieved all of this while receiving hundreds of rounds of chemotherapy, in addition to daily oral treatments. Debbie passed away on December 23, 2017, at the age of 50, almost a decade later. As a result of her leadership, DDF now has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, comprised of world-renowned physicians, and chapters throughout the United States and in Canada and Germany. DDF strives to continue Debbie's mission and make her dream come true. To learn more about DDF, please visit us at www.DebbiesDream.org.
Media Contact:
Brittnay Starks
Communications Coordinator
Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
(954) 475-1200
[email protected]
www.DebbiesDream.org
SOURCE Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
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