Dear Friends and Stakeholders of the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes,

We’re writing to share with you significant and exciting news that will be made public tomorrow relevant to our organization, we wanted you to hear it from us first.

The Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes (CRC) is pleased to announce we have entered into an agreement to become an affiliate of the Cayuga Health System (CHS).

Since CRC was founded as the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance in 1994 the mission has evolved to create and sustain an inclusive community of support for people living with and affected by various kinds of cancer. For 30 years the organization has been fortunate to be able to do exactly that, supported solely through grants and our generous donors, such as you, enabling us to provide all our services free of charge to every client.

Sustaining that mission has become increasingly more difficult so when presented with the opportunity, the CRC Board of Directors made the decision to affiliate with Cayuga Health System to ensure not just the financial sustainability of the organization but the important services and supports the organization brings to those facing cancer. One of the many benefits of this affiliation with CHS network, is that it will provide the Cancer Resource Center the ability to reach an even wider area of need. We also feel fortunate that the Cayuga Health System supports the mission to continue to offer these services to anyone regardless of where they may be receiving treatment for their cancer – just as the CRC has always done.

Rest assured that donations previously received by CRC and those raised in the future will continue to directly benefit the CRC programming. The Cancer Resource Center’s special funds, including the Angel, Virkler, and Mitra Funds, will continue to be managed and used exactly as their donors intended in support of their funding priorities. The CRC signature Fundraising Walkathon and 5K will also be held again this year on October 5, 2024.

We are sensitive to the fact that this information may come as a surprise to our supporters and more importantly to current clients of CRC. There may be concerns as to how things will be handled moving forward. Please know that CRC staff have remained in their positions and that, for the time being, the office will continue to be run out of the same location at Community Corners. If not for this message being sent you may well not notice much in the way of change at all…which is exactly how we intended, it to be.

We want you to know how much we have valued your dedication and support for the past 30 years. We are hoping you will continue that support as we move into this new and exciting part of the organization’s history with the same goal of no one having to face cancer alone. The mission remains the same!

Warmly,

Jerry Deitz
On behalf of the CRC Board of Directors