For The Fifth Year Straight, Circle 1000 Raises More Than $1 Million For Hoag Family Cancer Institute

Online, May 1, 2012 (Newswire.com) - For the fifth year in a row, Circle 1000 raised more than $1 million to help advance patient care at Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach. Committee members announced the fundraising achievement at their 25th Annual Founders' Celebration Brunch, held April 25 at the Island Hotel Newport Beach.

"The generosity of our members year after year is simply remarkable," said Circle 1000 Chair Pame Schmider. "Their compassion directly translates into new equipment, technology and training that Hoag Family Cancer Institute medical team can use to deliver the most advanced care to their patients."

Since Circle 1000 was founded in 1987, members have raised more than $13.5 million. The Cancer Institute has used the donations to fund a wide range of programs, equipment and services, including new cell biology labs, oncology nursing programs and scholarships and endowments for cancer research, among others.

"To be perfectly honest, Circle 1000 has grown and succeeded beyond anything I would have thought possible when I began it 25 years ago," said Sandy Sewell, a Newport Beach resident, breast cancer survivor and Circle 1000 founder. "My approach was really quite modest - I asked a few of my friends to contribute at least $1,000, and to invite others to join in. What started as a small effort among close friends quickly spread to include over 1,000 incredibly generous women and men. I've learned over the past 25 years that you should never underestimate people's inherent kindness and compassion, and their willingness to help others in need."

The 25th Annual Founders' Celebration Brunch featured highlights that packed emotional punches. One of them came when Taylor Carol, a 17-year-old cancer survivor who attends Dana Hills High School, performed a soaring rendition of the song, "The Impossible Dream."

And another came during the keynote address by Alan Hobson, a long-term cancer survivor, noted adventure speaker, Mt. Everest summiteer and co-creator of "The Climb Back From Cancer Program." In keeping with the event's theme of climbing back from cancer, Hobson drew parallels between climbing both physical mountains and the mountain of fighting and overcoming cancer.

Three years after summiting Mt. Everest in 1997, Hobson was diagnosed with acute leukemia; 90 percent of the cells in his bone marrow were cancerous and he was given less than a year to live. But after enduring more than 500 hours of chemotherapy and a successful blood stem cell transplant from his brother, Hobson "climbed back" from the disease. He is now an author, speaker and cancer coach who focuses on helping people rebuild mind, body and spirit.

"Climbing actual mountains gave me a much stronger understanding of what it takes to get to the top," he said. "There is always a cause for hope. Circle 1000 provides people facing cancer with that hope. If we are persistent enough, we can live our dreams."

About Circle 1000
Circle 1000 was founded in 1987 by Sandy Sewell, a Newport Beach resident and breast cancer survivor. Her idea was to gather a group of friends who would contribute at least $1,000 annually; each was tasked with asking their own circle of friends to participate. From those simple beginnings Circle 1000 expanded to more than 1,000 friends who have raised a cumulative $12.4 million. Funds raised by committee members enable the Hoag Family Cancer Institute to purchase new technology, provide scholarships for nurses and conduct clinical research.

In 2011 alone, the committee raised $1 million that was used to support oncology nursing education, nursing scholarship endowments, and equipment and education for Tomosynthesis, a procedure that produces 3D images of the breast using x-rays.

About Guest Speaker Alan Hobson
Alan Hobson is a renowned adventurer, writer, coach and long-term cancer survivor. Three years after summiting Mt. Everest in 1997, Hobson was diagnosed with acute leukemia; 90 percent of the cells in his bone marrow were cancerous and he was given less than a year to live. But after enduring more than 500 hours of chemotherapy and a successful blood stem cell transplant from his brother, Hobson "climbed back" from the disease. He is less than one of a few dozen people to regain an elite level of fitness after such a transplant. Hobson is an international bestselling author of six books, including "Climb Back from Cancer." He is regarded as one of the best adventure speakers in the world, due to his ability to personalize each presentation to the audience by seamlessly integrating their key challenges and opportunities into his remarks.