The Seany Foundation
December 2010
Seany's Year-in-Review
The Seany Newsletter v.2.4
In This Issue
Thank You from the Robins
Seany Room Opens
Clincal Trials Now Starting
Special Events Draw Crowds
Research Funds Keep Growing
Seany Supporters Fundraise
Awards and Nominations
Reasons to Celebrate
Awareness Campaign Kicks Off
More Ways to Give
Seany says...
Our Seany
"We must not forget that as much damage as cancer can cause, it cannot destroy my spirit, it cannot errode my soul, it cannot trample my will, and it will never erase what's inside of my heart..."

Read more at Seany's Carepages.
Seany's Quicklinks
Happy Holidays to our wonderful supporters and friends!

     As 2010 quickly draws to a close, we reflect upon the year's many events and successes. Seany and SnowmanWe hope to have kept you well-informed with our newsletters and email updates. Thank you so much for your continued interest in and support of our mission to help kids and teens with cancer.
     Thank you for believing in our cause and for supporting our efforts, both with your encouragement and your philanthropy. We couldn't do it without you, and we are grateful. Below, you will find a detailed summary of our endeavors this year.  As our research projects continue to evolve and fine tune, we will share it all with you through these newsletters. So stay tuned...
     May the new year bring you good health and happiness!

Mitch and Amy Robins, Co-founders
The Seany Foundation
800-794-8282
Seany Room Opens at Rady Children's Hospital
Seany Staff at Seany Room Sneak Peek
   
     In early October, construction on the Seany Room was finally completed!  The lounge, a space exclusively for adolescent and young adult patients in the new oncology wing at RCHSD, is now open for use. 
     The final touches, which include a flat-screen TV, computers, Wii, Playstation, iPod dock and speakers, movie posters, books and boardgames (donations from Best Buy, Nintendo, and Biggs Harley Davidson San Marcos), will be put on the room in the weeks to come.
    "The Seany Room" is a place where teens will hang out with their peers, for chatting, playing video games, listening to music, watching movies, and doing art projects during their often grueling, depressing in-patient treatments. It will be an invaluable respite for these young patients. Programs for the Seany Room are already in the works for the coming year.  Thank you for helping us bring to life this much-needed refuge for our teens in treatment!
Clinical Trials Now Starting at Rady Children's Hospital

     Clinical trials are one of the quickest and safest ways to pinpoint treatments effective against cancer. New drugs, new approaches to surgery or radiation, new combinations of treatments, and new methods of gene therapy must all be studied through clinical trials before being accepted for "standard of care" use. Optimal approaches for many rare childhood cancers remain unknown, and therefore, must be researched and studied. (Source: Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)
     Thanks to your support, The Seany Foundation provided $26,000 to hire a new Clinical Research Associate at Rady Children's Hospital.  The Associate is now busy signing up kids and teens for exciting clinical trials.  These trials will push research forward more quickly and bring new hope to young patients and their families.
Seany Special Events Draw Crowds
Special Guests at Hairless Potter Night
   
     From Sex and the City 2 to Alice in Wonderland in 3D to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One, this year's Seany Movie Night blockbusters have drawn crowds by the hundreds!
     These special screenings have hosted over 100 young cancer patients and their families from local hospitals and raised a total of over $31,000Ladies' Night Out at the Movies boasted a pre-show wine and cheese soiree, and Seany Movie Night in Wonderland and Hairless Potter Night showed off some spectacular costumes!
     In April, the 2nd Annual Seany Lew Charity Poker Tournament and Casino Night, held at Pacific Athletic Club, raised over $5000.  Players tried their luck at roulette, craps, blackjack, and poker.  Drawing winners took home incredible prizes such as a Toshiba LCD TV, Cuisinart Cookware, and an Apple iPod.
     For photos from these and other exciting events, visit Seany's Flickr Photostream.  Be sure to check Seany's Newsletters and email blasts for information on our upcoming 2011 special early screenings (Rumors buzz of Twilight and more HP7).
Research Funds at UCSD and RCHSD Keep Growing

     This year, in addition to the funds already allocated to UCSD Moores Cancer Center for the Sean Lewis Robins Endowed Fund for Ewing's Sarcoma, The Seany Foundation gifted another $58,000 to support fellows at Rady Children's Hospital and UCSD who are in their second and third years, which are focused on investigative studies of pediatric cancer and how to improve therapies.
     The Seany Foundation is committed to helping to find cures, and part of the process is assuring that the doctors of tomorrow are well-trained and prepared.  We look forward to sharing more specifics of this program with you next year.  For more information on the fellows Seany is supporting, visit Seany's Blog.
Seany Supporters Host Their Own Fundraisers
    
     We know that The Seany Foundation would be nothing without its passionate and giving supporters, so we would like to take a moment to applaud the outstanding efforts of these individual fundraisers who hosted their own events to benefit The Seany Foundation:
National Comedy Theater's College Team- invited fans to a night of improv comedy and donated a portion of ticket sales
Noah Baird
- set up his own Lemonade and Bake Sale
Kristie Schaufele- sought sponsorships and ran the San Diego Rock'n'Roll Marathon
Dr. Ken Kern- hosted Comedy Night at the La Jolla Comedy Store and hypnotized the crowd- literally, raising over $1000
Crawl PB- set up the PB Beer Olympics and named The Seany Foundation its beneficiary
Kids On Stage Productions- held a performance class with Nickelodeon star Steven Glickman and donated the registration fees
San Marcos Biggs Harley-Davidson- donated electronics for use in the Seany Room
Seany Gains Recognition
Chase Community Giving Icon

     Well, it has been an uphill battle, but our little charity is finally starting to get a little attention!  That's right, thanks to your shower of online votes, The Seany Foundation ranked among the top 100 charities in the Chase Community Giving contest and garnered a $20,000 donation from Chase, delivered in person by the head of the Rancho Bernardo branch.
     Earlier this year, Jimbo's Naturally featured The Seany Foundation in its Wooden Nickel program, designed to enable customers give back to their preferred community charities.  Jimbo's donated a total of $800 (that's 16,000 nickels!) to our cause.
     The Seany Foundation was also nominated in the Athena San Diego Pinnacle Awards, named a City Finalist for Most Creative Fundraiser in the 2nd Annual StayClassy Awards and, most recently, recognized as a Finalist in the San Diego Business Journal's Family-Owned and Closely-Held Business Awards.  With all the buzz, we'd like to hear from you!  Write us a review at GreatNonprofits.org.
Celebrations Give Reason to Celebrate
Volunteers at Celebration 2010
    
     This year's "Everything Is Possible" Celebrations raised over $110,000 combined.  In June, The Seany Foundation joined its loyal supporters in Southfield, Michigan for the first-ever MI Celebartion, a gala hosted at the elite Skyline Club.
     In October, The Seany Foundation hosted the 3rd Annual Everything Is Possible Celebration at the San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park.  Mr. Bill Siegel received the Seany Community Service Award and Dr. William Roberts spoke on the importance of research for rare pediatric cancers. 
     The Seany Foundation would like to give a special thanks to its generous event sponsors, in-kind donors, and volunteers.  Thank you to those who attended our Celebrations and to those who could not attend but mailed in donations.  We hope that you will join us again next year for the fun!  Remember, you make the difference!
Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign Kicks Off
Chilhood Cancer Awareness Ribbon

   This past September, The Seany Foundation kicked off its September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month campaign with a series of short viral videos. Another milestone?  President Obama officially declared September National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
     Half the battle is just getting the word out, so if you have yet to see the videos, check them out on YouTube and share them with someone today.
More Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season
Seany's Proflowers Gift Idea
    As always, we encourage you to keep The Seany Foundation in your hearts and minds when you consider your end-of-year charitable contributions.
     We think you might dig these festive ideas:
     Need a gift idea? Send a tribute.
     Shopping online?  Buy through Seany's Proflowers storefront or make your purchase using GoodShop.
     Got junk?  Don't throw it out; donate it to our partner, Cars4Causes, and they'll donate to us.
     Short on change this year?  That's okay!  You can make a huge difference simply by telling your friends about The Seany Foundation and staying in touch.  "Like" our Fanpage on Facebook and suggest it to all your friends!  Then, be sure to write us a review at GreatNonprofits.org.
Upcoming Events
Seany's Birthday Bowling Bash
Mira Mesa Lanes
2:00-4:00 PM
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tickets on sale at door: $27/adults, $17 kids under 18
Includes shoe and lane rentals, pizza, soda, and cake

2011 Calendar of Events (subject to change)
Spring
3rd Annual Seany Lew Casino Night and Poker Tournament
Swinging for Seany Golf Tournament at Fairbanks Ranch
Summer
Hairless Potter Night '11
Autumn
Twilight Night '11
4th Annual "Everything Is Possible" Celebration
Winter
Seany's Birthday Bowling Bash
Thank You for a Successful 2010

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children... to leave the world a better place... to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
About The Seany Foundation

Inspired by the life of Sean Lewis Robins, The Seany Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to help find cures for pediatric cancers, especially sarcomas, and to improving the quality of life for children and teens battling cancer.

Read more about Sean and his courageous story at www.theseanyfoundation.org.

Follow us on Twitter and join our Cause on Facebook for news and updates.

The Seany Foundation
800-794-8282