About Us
THE EDWARD I. MOSES WALK / RUN FOR LIFE
Founded in 1979, the Edward I. Moses Walk/Run for Life has been a leader in raising money for the local fight against cancer. Thanks to the sponsorship of local businesses we are able to reward participants with prizes, goodie bags and t-shirts while still keeping every dollar raised in St. Lawrence County. This event is the primary fundraiser for the St. Lawrence County Cancer Fund which provides funding for programs that work to educate the community and help with the prevention, early detection and diagnosis of cancer for local residents.
To date, the E.I. Moses Walk/Run for Life has raised over $2 MILLION, which has been distributed to local charities.
THE ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY CANCER FUND
In 2011, the fundraising committee responsible for the popular Edward I. Moses Walk reorganized into the St. Lawrence County Cancer Fund, with the intention expanding efforts beyond a single annual event, encouraging greater ongoing support from the community. The mission remains the same though: we are and always will be dedicated to the local fight against cancer. The organization is made up of a group of volunteers and prides itself on the fact that ALL proceeds remain in St. Lawrence County to benefit our friends and neighbors. The need for these important programs increases daily.
Programs
Funded by the
St. Lawrence County Cancer Fund
Ryan’s Wish Foundation
Ryan's Wish assists those traveling to cancer treatment appointments. Recipients receive gifts of gas cards, money for hotel stays, vehicle maintenance help for those used in their travel, funds for medical co-pays and medications not covered by insurance. The foundation has given out on average $45-50 thousand a year, with close to $1,000,000 distributed in total to people and families in need. This past year, Ryan’s Wish served 87 families throughout St. Lawrence County giving out over $37,000.
Massena Memorial Hospital
Using funds from the SLCCF, MMH hosts free monthly skin cancer screenings. MMH also offers free educational seminars on colorectal cancer awareness, melanoma detection and awareness, and ovarian, uterine, breast, and lung cancers.
Gouverneur Hospital
With support from the SLCCF, Gouverneur hospital has provided a variety of free screenings for the community, including testing for breast, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancer.
Claxton- Hepburn Medical Center
Aided with SLCCF funds, CHMC physicians provide 6 free colonoscopies, 10 low-dose lung cancer screenings, and 10 high-risk breast cancer screenings. The Richard Winter Cancer Center purchased a new electronic chemotherapy infusion chair to provide patients with physical and mental comfort during treatment. Cancer care kits have also been provided to patients to ease some of the effects of cancer and make treatments more bearable.
Jerry’s Run for Cancer
Jerry’s Run group are avid motorcyclists with the collective mission of assisting families and other members of our community who are directly affected by cancer, in memory of Jerry Ferguson. Proceeds from their annual motorcycle ride go directly to local families battling cancer within St. Lawrence and Jefferson Counties. Our support helps pay for prescriptions, travel costs for treatments, groceries for special diets, and other related expenses. Collectively Jerry’s Run for a Cause has given assistance to over 200 cancer patients in need, giving out upwards of $109,000 since 2023.
Community Center of the North Country
The Center will use 2024 funds to purchase iPads to provide personalized, interactive educational materials to patients, allowing them to better understand their diagnosis and treatment options. Funds will be used to purchase anatomical models and educational charts that will make complex medical information more accessible and understandable. Finally, funds will provide gas cards to alleviate transportation costs for patients and their families, ensuring they can attend necessary medical appointments without financial hardship.
Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley
Funds from the SLCCF are used to increase the quality of life for cancer patients by providing Palliative Care follow-up and case management services. This care assists the patient and family align care goals with provided treatments. The Case Manager provides additional support by linking patients and families with resources that help manage the illness while maintaining quality of life.
Canton-Potsdam Hospital
Using funds from SLCCF, the Center for Cancer Care provides transportation for residents who are receiving treatment at their facility. Their vehicle dedicated to transporting patients logs more than 20,000 miles each year and is sometimes used daily by their patients. Additionally, they will expand their Navigation Program to include a Financial Counselor. With this position in existence only a short time, it has saved patients hundreds of thousands of dollars and helped to ease anxiety when dealing with the financial aspect of a cancer battle.
Jules of Life
With support from the SLCCF, Jules of Life created and maintains a website used as a central resource for anyone battling cancer. The website provides valuable information on treatment centers, resources for emotional support, financial assistance, and more.
Help Sami Kick Cancer
The Lodge @ Dreaming Tree Ranch is a beautiful resort in Upstate NY, allowing pediatric cancer patients and their families to reconnect and make lasting memories. The foundation also provides financial support to families living in St. Lawrence County to travel for pediatric cancer treatment. The SLCCF is happy to provide funds to help the foundation and support these families in their travels.
Compassionate Care Foundation
Founded in 2022, this group provides integrative education and treatment options in our rural communities for those who are battling cancer. CCF will continue to support cancer patients and open the program to those who are on the waiting list. Between January and December 2024, the CCF provided over 262 integrative therapy sessions at the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center. These sessions include 140 acupuncture sessions, 47 Reiki sessions, and 75 massage therapy sessions, all aimed at reducing stress and anxiety, relieving treatment side effects, and improving quality of life for cancer patients. Through SLCCF support last year, they enrolled over 65 cancer patients in the program, and they are increasing the frequency of services to meet growing demand.
We are extremely grateful to those who have supported us in the past and are looking forward to continuing our work toward this very important cause. Please consider partnering with us in the local battle against cancer by taking part in one of our future events.