Our Breathe Now program utilizes the tools of yoga, meditation, and psychosocial programming in a retreat setting for young adult survivors and their partners to heal the mind and body and restore balance to their relationship post cancer.
Our Breathe Now program utilizes the tools of yoga, meditation, and psychosocial programming in a retreat setting for young adult survivors and their partners to heal the mind and body and restore balance to their relationship post cancer.
Our LifeList wish granting program works with adolescent and young adult cancer patients who have received life-threatening diagnoses to help give them something positive to focus on outside of treatment.
The young adult cancer patients and survivors Dear Jack Foundation serves through our LIfeList program and Breathe Now retreats are referred to us by our following referral hospitals.
Los Angeles, CA - COH boasts some of the most recent groundbreaking clinical trials available and is only one of 45 institutions nationwide to be designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. They have a dedicated AYA program and a reputation for leading-edge research, groundbreaking treatments, clinical trials and great patient care. By combining leading-edge science with true compassion and personalized treatment for each and every patient, scientists at City of Hope have a single, shared goal: to eliminate cancer.
Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center provides world-class care to patients with cancer and is at the forefront of new and emerging clinical, translational and basic cancer research.
At Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, more than 450 highly skilled doctors, researchers, nurses and technicians care for thousands of patients each year. Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center unites clinicians and researchers in Taussig Cancer Institute and in Cleveland Clinic’s 26 other clinical and surgical institutes, as well as cancer specialists at our regional hospitals, health centers and at Cleveland Clinic Florida.
Boston, MA - Dana-Farber is a comprehensive cancer treatment and research center. It is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and one of the 45 Comprehensive Cancer Care Centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. For over 70 years, they’ve been making life-changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care, including over 700 innovative clinical trials. The primary goal of the Cancer Center is to encourage and promote collaborative interactions and translational research that will lead to new approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Scottsdale, AZ - The Mayo Clinic, the number one hospital in Arizona, treats dozens of AYA patients throughout the year and is in the process of building a dedicated AYA program through their social work team. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center combines personalized cancer treatment with leading-edge research to provide patients with unparalleled cancer care. Their integrated practice brings together a multispecialty cancer treatment team of experts to ensure the best care available. DJF Board Member, AYA Survivor Dr. Allison Rosenthal is on staff.
Houston, TX - The MD Anderson Cancer Center was ranked #1 in 2016 for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report and is one of the 45 Comprehensive Cancer Care Centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. As the nation’s top-ranked cancer center, MD Anderson continues to pioneer new approaches in cancer treatment. MD Anderson also boasts phenomenal adjunct support programs including an AYA council, yoga, meditation, and support group meet ups in the hospital along with access to a dedicated AYA free housing and support program - Dan's House of Hope.
Denver, CO - P/SL has one of the nation's best blood cancer and bone marrow transplant programs through their partnership with the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, which is the largest and most experienced full-service blood and marrow (stem cell) transplant program in Colorado and among the top programs in the country.They have a formalized adolescent and young adult (AYA) program through CBCI and also partner with the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, which offers phase 1 clinical trials, including promising new treatments for patients with advanced cancer. DJF Board Member Dr. Tara Gregory is on staff.
San Francisco, CA - Stanford Cancer Institute is an ambitious program to transform the care experience of every cancer patient treated at Stanford. The Institute combines the latest research and information management protocols with multi-disciplinary, patient-centered care to improve quality of life and overall health outcomes. Integrating leading-edge research and comprehensive care to dramatically change the prognosis and treatment of cancer including ensuring fertility needs are addressed with every new admission.
Columbus, OH - The world-renowned experts at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) are transforming the way cancers are prevented, detected, treated and, yes, cured.
Their teams of cancer sub-specialists span a broad range of disciplines, from medical, surgical and radiation oncologists to molecular and biological pathologists, genetic scientists and more — all specializing in cancer research, prevention, detection and treatment.
With a membership of more than 500 physicians and scientists, UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of the largest comprehensive cancer centers in the nation. We handle more than 20,000 patient visits per year and conduct hundreds of clinical trials, providing the latest in experimental cancer treatments.
Today, we have established an international reputation for providing the best in experimental and traditional cancer treatments and expertly guiding the next generation of medical researchers. When you choose UCLA for your clinical care, our depth lets us offer a wide array of benefits to patients.
Since 2006, we have been working steadily to improve the lives of the adolescent and young adult cancer community through our strategic partnerships.
For more than 25 years, Cancer for College has worked to help those individuals who have been adversely affected by cancer to help them realize their dream of a college education. Dear Jack is partnered with Cancer for College to help support young adult cancer survivors in their quest to pursue music through music education college scholarships.
To address the critical issues facing the AYA patient population and the need for a comprehensive AYA oncology program in Southern California, USC Norris developed and launched an AYA focused program at USC in collaboration with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The AYA program is one of less than ten programs in the nation focused on improving survival rates of AYA oncology patients through multi-disciplinary research, treatment and education initiatives. Dear Jack Foundation invested $25,000 to aid in the initial program launch.
First Descents (FD) is a Denver-based non-profit organization that provides life-changing outdoor adventures for young adults ages 18-39 impacted by cancer. Participants in their programs are not required to have previous experience in order to take part in the surfing, whitewater kayaking, or rock-climbing adventures! In the past, DJF has partnered with FD to sponsor week-long camp programs where young adult cancer patients and survivors have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and share in the camaraderie of their experiences.
Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHSF) is a Denver-based non-profit that was founded by cancer surivors Mike Peters and James Chippendale with the mission to “[s]ave lives, one concert at a time!” LHSF works with musicians to get concert-goers swabbed and signed up on the national bone marrow donor registry. Through DJF’s partnership with LHSF, volunteers have signed up over 2,000 potential donors, which has resulted in over 40 potential life-saving matches.
The Matt Cwiertny Memorial Foundation (MCMF) is a Southern California-based organization that was formed in memory of Matt, a friend of DJF, a 24-year-old who passed away in October 2009 from Epstein-Barr Virus-associated diseases. MCMF focuses its efforts on finding cures for EBV and EBV-associated diseases and improving the quality of life of AYA cancer patients. DJF has supported MCMF’s Matt’s Mixed Tape project, which provides AYA cancer patients with iPod Nanos that are pre-loaded with donated music.
