Debbie's Dream Foundation Shines a Spotlight on Stomach Cancer During Gastric Cancer Awareness Month

DDF partners with other community organizations to help spread the word about stomach cancer.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance of Gastric Cancer Awareness Month this November, Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) has launched an array of impactful initiatives to boost awareness and support for those impacted by stomach cancer, a disease often diagnosed at an advanced stage.

DDF's major undertaking this month is its first-time partnership with My Gut Feeling: Stomach Cancer Foundation of Canada in their annual "The Power of Periwinkle" monument lighting campaign. DDF, alongside international allies Vivere Senza Stomaco (Italy) and Kibounokai (Japan), is illuminating over 30 locations across the United States in periwinkle blue, commemorating Stomach Cancer Awareness Day on November 30, 2023. So far, nearly 80 monuments globally have been confirmed, including the Niagra Falls in Canada, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, the Kyoto Tower in Japan, the Bolte Bridge in Australia, and the Bank of America Tower in the United States. For real-time updates and confirmed places in Canada, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Italy, visit https://www.mygutfeeling.ca/mgf365.

To reach underserved communities through its Health Equity Program, DDF is also collaborating with local community-based organizations on various initiatives, including a Pre-Thanksgiving Community Dinner with Deerfield Beach Community Cares, the United Way of Broward County's Thanksgiving Dinner Box Giveaway, and the YMCA of South Florida's Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway. These endeavors aim to educate communities about stomach cancer, mainly as communities of color are at the highest risk and disproportionately affected by the disease in the United States.

DDF's CEO, Andrea Eidelman, stresses the significance of these efforts, saying, "Stomach cancer often goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage. While other cancers receive widespread recognition, stomach cancer remains in the shadows. We are proud to continue our work, spotlighting stomach cancer, educating communities, and ultimately saving lives."

In addition to these initiatives, DDF's ongoing support includes Monthly Stomach Cancer Support Groups (November 2, 2023) and Supplemental Support Groups (November 16, 2023) that address various topics, including stage IV patients, grief and loss, and caregiver support. DDF also invites students nationwide to participate in the DDF Youth Art Contest, where young artists can express their vision of a world without stomach cancer. The contest's deadline is November 17, 2023.

November will culminate with the "Ask the Experts Stomach Cancer Symposium" in Aventura, Florida, on Saturday, December 2, 2023, offering patients and caregivers the opportunity to interact with experts in nutrition, treatment options, genetics, and more while addressing critical questions.

For more information on DDF's ongoing initiatives and ways to get involved, visit https://debbiesdream.org/take-action/curing-stomach-cancer-month/. 

About Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer

DDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gastric cancer, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support internationally to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF's ultimate goal is to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality.

DDF was founded in 2009 by Debbie Zelman after she was diagnosed with stage IV incurable gastric cancer in 2008 and given only weeks to live. Debbie is considered a pioneer by many for bringing awareness to the plight of stomach cancer patients worldwide, as well as to the lack of federal funding for stomach cancer research. She did all of this while receiving hundreds of rounds of chemo and daily oral treatments. Debbie passed away on December 23, 2017, at 50, almost a decade later. As a result of her leadership, DDF now has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of world-renowned doctors and chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, and Germany. DDF strives to continue Debbie's mission to make her dream a reality. To learn more, visit www.DebbiesDream.org.

Media Contact:
Brittnay Starks Communications Director
Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (954) 475-1200
[email protected]
www.DebbiesDream.org

SOURCE Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer

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