2007 Color of Hope Event

On Saturday, April 21, 2007 the Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation (KOH) honored Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at its annual Color of Hope gala fundraising event. The cocktail reception and silent auction took place at the Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center in Florham Park, N.J. The foundation also presented $215,000 in awards to researchers engaged in efforts to diagnose, treat and enhance awareness of ovarian cancer.

“Coldwell Banker has helped us in so many ways since the very beginning of KOH,” said Lois Myers, Harding Township, also a KOH co-founder. “They sponsor our events, volunteer, and never fail to be there for us in any way they can.”

“Coldwell Banker has been exceptionally generous to our organization over the years,” said Gail MacNeil, Chatham Township resident and KOH co-founder. “It’s difficult to put into words how grateful we are for their day-to-day support as well as the extra efforts so many people have contributed to the success of our events," she said. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without them."

The following awards were presented:

• $65,000 to fund the third year of the Kaleidoscope of Hope Fellowship with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey at UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. This four-year commitment funds a post-doctoral fellow to conduct research and clinical work in an effort to expand the number of board-certified gynecologic oncologists.

• $65,000 to Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, to fund an early detection ovarian cancer research program. Fox Chase is one of five Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in ovarian cancer in the United States. The donation will support research to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of a blood test for ovarian cancer.

• $40,000 to the Maureen Fund for Ovarian Cancer Research at Hackensack University Medical Center, which provides ovarian cancer screenings and prevention services for high-risk women.

• $35,000 to the National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program at New York University (NYU). Dr. David A. Fishman’s innovative program focuses entirely on early detection, including genetic counseling and development of early detection blood tests and advanced ultrasound technologies designed to detect the disease in its earliest stages.

• $10,000 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) for the organization’s outreach and awareness programs.

The contributions are intended to support the three pillars of the foundation’s mission: taking the standard of early detection to a new level; helping women understand the disease and its symptoms; and supporting medical training in this area for the future.

The Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation was organized by three ovarian cancer survivors: Gail MacNeil of Chatham Township and Lois Myers and Patricia Stewart of Harding Township. Its fundraising walkathons in September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, have become an important forum for New Jerseyans touched by ovarian cancer, drawing hundreds of participants and raising thousands of dollars. This year KOH proudly announces a third September walkathon scheduled for the New Jersey Shore.
 
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KOH co-founder Gail MacNeil (r) presents Founders Award to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage President and COO Ronnie Laiken (l) and NRT senior VP Maureen Passerini (c).
 
KOH board member Peggy Castle addresses the audience as co-founders Lois Myers and Gail MacNeil look on.
 
KOH board members gather before their annual awards presentation.
 
KOH continues to fund ($65,000 annually) an ovarian cancer research fellowship the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ). Appreciative CINJ attendees include Interim Director and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Joseph Bertino; KOH Fellow Dr. Ami Vaidya and husband Dr. Sivaram Rajan; and Director of Gynecologic Oncology Dr. Lorna Rodriguez.
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers in the U.S. In 2005, the American Cancer Society estimated there would be over 22,200 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed nationally and 16,200 deaths from the disease. If detected in its early stages, survival from ovarian cancer is 90-95 percent. Yet because it is so difficult to detect, the five-year survival rate for the disease is only 28 percent if not found early. The “hope” in Kaleidoscope of Hope’s name is related to the difference that early diagnostic tests or disease-specific therapy would bring to many women and their families.