Special Announcement from the Founder of MyLifeLine.org_____________________________________________________ September 15, 2011 |
Planning for the Future
Greetings!
 | | Marcia Donziger |
In July 2005, my friend, Lori Arquilla Andersen, lost her battle with brain cancer at the age of 35. During the prior two years of treatments, her friends - who owned a web company in Chicago - created a personal website for Lori and her husband, Erik, to easily connect with loved ones around the country to get the emotional support they needed.
As a cancer survivor since 1997, I joined Lori's online community and immediately understood the benefits of using a website to communicate health updates. During my own struggle with advanced ovarian cancer at age 27, I did not have a good way to streamline communications, which added significant stress to my recovery process.
After Lori passed away, I couldn't stop thinking about the impact she made by sharing her experiences and expanding her support network via a personal website. Her mom, Linda, once told me that Lori's website was their family's "lifeline".
That word stuck with me. LIFELINE. That's when I knew how I could make lives better for people diagnosed with cancer, and their entire support networks.
MyLifeLine.org Cancer Foundation began to organize in August 2006, our non-profit charity was incorporated in March 2007, and the first personal website was launched in May 2007.
Since then, over 41,000 people - patients, caregivers, friends, and family - have registered to use MyLifeLine.org. In this year alone, over 630,000 visits have come from 146 countries and territories.
I am extremely proud of the progress we have made towards achieving our goals of helping families affected by cancer. This has been a true team effort of hundreds of smart, loyal, and caring people - board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and sponsors - all committed to our mission.
In celebrating the organization's success, I'm also cognizant of where and how the organization still needs to expand. As I look forward to the year ahead, I've made the personal decision to step down as the Executive Director. Because of the tremendous growth we are now experiencing and expect in the future, I feel that a full-time director is critical.
It has been my greatest honor to steward the growth of MyLifeLine.org. In addition, this transition will give me more time to raise my two young children, so I strongly believe this is the right decision for the organization and for my family.
My decision makes way for new talent with the experience to help MyLifeLine.org make even greater strides in the non-profit arena for years to come.
As a founder, I will remain an active volunteer on the Board of Directors. My passion about MyLifeLine.org grows with every family we serve, and I am committed to accelerating the momentum towards accomplishing our mission.
A search committee has been designated by the Board of Directors to begin the hiring process in late September with the goal of hiring someone by the middle of November to allow for training and transition by January 2012. During the transition, I will remain the Executive Director of the organization.
I truly appreciate the support of the Board, staff, members, and of course, my wonderful family, in making this very difficult decision. I know I will have your support as we look to serve more people in the future. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at all; I am happy to share this news with you in greater detail.
With much gratitude,
Marcia Donziger
Executive Director/Founder
14 year cancer survivor
303-549-0405
Marcia@mylifeline.org |
