Your Purchase Funds Cancer Research

Many of you have asked us, ''How much do we give'' and ''Where does it go?''

First of all, we have ALWAYS given money to cancer research, right from the day that we began this business in March of 1999. We made that our first priority, because Chris was continuing her ongoing battle with inflammatory breast cancer, and we saw first hand the need to raise dollars for the new drugs that would hopefully save her life. Our motives were rather selfish at that point, but we soon learned that we didn't have to look far to find many more people just like Chris.

Sadly, Chris lost her battle in 2003, but that only served as a catalyst for us to work harder than we ever thought possible to raise research dollars. We worked without a salary for the first 4 years, so that we could make donating our priority. We also found many wonderful people along the way who helped us. One company donated a laser printer and another gifted us with our first website. A special thanks to Bob and Joan Johnson, Steve and Fran LaCoursier, and Evelyn Kaiser. Their endless hours of volunteer work enable us to give more money.

At the present time, we donate every month to one of a variety of leading cancer research institutions. As with every business, we have the usual expenditures such as web site set-up and maintenance, catalogs and other printed matter, rent, utililities, telephone, and maintaining and increasing our inventory. We always make sure that our money goes directly to GENERAL CANCER RESEARCH. That way, every cancer gets a portion of our donations. And we ALWAYS post our monthly giving on our website. The amount we give and the facility that receives it is listed on our homepage. To date, Choose Hope has donated over $300,000 to cancer research. Below are the current facilities that are recipients of our money and a link to their sites:

• MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX

• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN

• University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, WI

• The American Cancer Society

• Gateway for Cancer Research in Illinois

We pride ourselves on the relationships that we have established with these outstanding institutions and are very grateful to play a small role in raising funds for them. Craig Robida, External Relations Director of the UW Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, WI commented, "When two of our own cancer patients began a friendship years ago, little did the UW Carbone Cancer Center know a new phrase, "Cancer Sucks" and a new company, Choose Hope, Inc., would be born. The UW Carbone Cancer Center truly values its long-standing relationship with Choose Hope and its quest to offer cancer-related products, while raising awareness and funds for groundbreaking cancer research in Wisconsin and beyond."

In addition to dollars, we donate a large amount of product to a variety of fundraisers, benefits, relays, and any other event that is raising money for cancer research. We are proud to say that we have accomplished what we set out to do even beyond our wildest dreams, and we will continue to work to raise the bar for other organizations just like us. When purchasing a cancer-related gift item, we challenge everyone to ask, ''Do you donate a portion of the proceeds? If so, how much do you give?" If not, find someone who does donate and make sure you know how much is being given and where it is going…no one should be allowed to profit from cancer! We look forward to the day when we are put out of business because a cure is found. Then we will have accomplished what we set out to do.

In Faith, Love, Hope and Healing,

Paula and Linda