Third Annual WE CAN Cure-a-Thon Begins April 24

Third Annual WE CAN Cure-a-Thon Begins April 24

Raising Money for Cancer Research and Patient Assistance at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Which Opens June 5

Taking a hard line against cancer. That’s the mission of a continuing alliance between The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and NRG Media. It’s also the focus of a fundraising effort set to begin April 24, called “WE CAN.”

“Our radio stations and on-air staff are so committed to doing this,” said Andy Ruback, general manager of NRG. “We are proud to stand alongside some of the brightest minds in cancer research, treatment and education and lend our full support to making a difference for people here in the communities where we live and work.”

To date, the WE CAN Cure-a-Thon has raised over $50,000 for cancer research and patient assistance at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. The donated funds help advance cutting-edge research, while meeting some of the financial needs of current cancer patients and families by providing lodging, meal cards and transportation costs associated with ongoing therapies. From its inception, the $323 million Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center has been a model of community partnership between private donors, public investment and individual fundraising efforts.

“Those initial investments are what put up the physical structure of the cancer center,” said Sarah Thayer, MD, PhD, physician in chief of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. “Ongoing support from the community with the help of NRG will allow us to build strong programs to care for our patients.”

This year’s WE CAN event is set to run April 24-28 on all seven NRG Media radio stations: 98.5 FM, 106.9 FM, 101.9 FM, 1020 AM, 1290 AM, 1620 AM and 1180 AM. Listeners of diverse types of music, talk and sports will hear stories of the milestones achieved at Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), along with bold plans for the future – building the nation’s finest cancer research and treatment facility here in Omaha. Most importantly, they’ll hear from patients who’ve benefited from the care, treatment and research provided at the med center.

“My experience as a breast cancer patient has been second to none,” describes Ashli Brehm. “The doctors have been committed to my care in such a way that I feel like I’m their primary patient. They work together as a team and provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ when it comes to all components of my treatment plan. I’ve been impressed by the way they’re using the most current and even upcoming treatments and technologies. I don’t ever, for a moment, second-guess my choices at Nebraska Medicine. Serious medicine is saving my life.”

“It’s very eye-opening to hear these types of patient stories. It puts a face to the entire WE CAN campaign,” adds Crash Davis, morning show host on 101.9 The Keg. “Every one of us knows somebody affected by cancer. It’s so important for us to help these families.”

There are three ways to donate:

April 24-28, donors can text WECAN to 56512
April 28 from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., people can call 800.200.9506 (English) and 800.200.9507 (Spanish)
Donations will also be accepted 24/7 online at https://nufoundation.org/wecan

This year, two businesses are already stepping up and giving back to WE CAN in big ways. Access Bank and Aflac have each committed $5,000.

“Support like this is absolutely essential,” said Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. “We know with strong and dedicated support, we are truly building for the future and making a cancer center that will change the lives of so many patients and their families, but will also make the state of Nebraska stronger.”

The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center will open its doors on June 5. It’s the largest project for Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. The cancer center will combine research, in-patient and outpatient services into one singular location. Nebraska Medicine will handle patient care and research will be spearheaded by UNMC.

Watch this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaQ21s0y6kI.

ABOUT THE FRED & PAMELA BUFFETT CANCER CENTER

A joint venture of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which is under construction and scheduled to open in June 2017, is designed to lead the world in cancer education, research and care.

ABOUT NRG MEDIA-Omaha

NRG Media-Omaha operates seven diverse radio brands (Q98-5,1620 the Zone, 1290 KOIL, Power 106.9, 101.9 The KEG, 1020 La Nueva, & 1180 Zone2), HuskerMax.com, Search and Surf (Search Engine Marketing), and NRG-LiveEvents. NRG-Omaha reaches nearly 500,000 listeners, generates over 7,000,000 monthly page views, and has nearly 200,000 social media followers.

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