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Archive for 2013

Cancer Early Detection: A New Era of Research at Canary Center

July 17, 2013

Canary Foundation has moved to Stanford’s new Technology and Innovation Park (TnI Park) on Porter Drive in Palo Alto. The labs at Canary Center at Stanford are scheduled to move to the same location during late summer. These new facilities will continue to help push Canary research forward. With the move to Stanford’s Technology and Innovation Park, the labs will double in size. There will also be more equipment, including a new mass spectrometer to provide a molecular analysis of protein tissues and biological fluids from cancer tumors, helping to facilitate the detection of disease states.

Stanford University has continued to provide support to the Canary Center at Stanford by including the Canary Center in its new Technology and Innovation Park.  All the labs of the Canary Center will be united under one roof, allowing for more collaboration. It’s a more modern, architecturally speaking, then the previous home, in a tree-filled setting. Location wise, our neighbors are tech and biotech companies, both large and small.

This move is extremely significant for the Canary Foundation, marking an important moment in our history. Expansion is always a milestone because it indicates growth and opportunity. In the case of the new Canary Center, there’s an opportunity to push further collaborations between researchers, accelerating scientific progress.

Cancer Early Detection Fundraiser: Balls for Balls by Philanthro Los Angeles

July 10, 2013

Philanthro Los Angeles focuses on engaging young professionals in the community. On June 22nd, 2013, they hosted Balls for Balls — Eat Meatballs, Save Lives at Nirvana Bar & Grill in Downtown Los Angeles to benefit the Canary Foundation, dedicated to the funding, discovery and development of early cancer detection for the five most prevalent forms of cancer. Balls for Balls raised money for prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in North America. The funds raised assist the clinical trials currently underway as part of the Canary Prostate Program, which develops tools to more accurately discriminate lethal from non-lethal cancers, informing critical treatment decisions and sparing thousands from unnecessary radical prostatectomy treatments.

Prior to the event, teams of four registered with clever and oftentimes hilarious names to compete in Balls for Balls. On the day of the event, many teams showed up well before the start time to get pumped up and to change into their costumes. We saw teams dressed in banana suits, tutus, tuxedos, t-shirts bearing eagles with mullets, you name it. The contenders ate meatballs in a line: the first player had to finish chewing three meatballs and show the referees their tongues, before their teammate could continue, and so on, until the whole team of four had finished. Teams competed in a tournament-style bracket through multiple rounds to come out on top to win and take home a cash prize of $400. For that whole afternoon, Nirvana was filled with laughter, cheering, and excitement.

The afternoon had more than just meatballs, though. The event was graced by musical performances from Shane Kanoa and Priska. The competition and its moments of unexpected triumph (or loss) were emceed by the wonderful Kezia Norton. Guests were able to enjoy free health screenings by USC MAPSC, a coalition of USC’s health campus graduate students. The free event also boasted a photobooth sponsored by Snapfiesta and s’mores cookies baked by Philanthro’s own Claudia Chin at the Canary table filled with goodies and educational tidbits. More »

Canary Challenge: Changing Lives in Unexpected Ways

July 2, 2013

Something extra special happened to a Canary Challenge rider, Rachel, on her training ride this weekend – her boyfriend proposed! Rachel posted this incredible picture of her and her fiancé, Noah, on social media using the #CanaryChallenge hashtag, which is how we found out.  We posted the photo on our Facebook page – check out the post and write Rachel a message of congratulations!

We are so thrilled that Canary Foundation and the Canary Challenge were part of this special, life-changing moment. We welcome you to share your special Canary Challenge moments using this same hashtag (details here).

Donate for Cancer Early Detection: Canary Challenge AMEX Points

June 19, 2013

Do you or any of your friends or colleagues collect American Express points? These points may now be translated into gifts to your favorite nonprofit, including Canary Foundation and the Canary Challenge.

Now you can make a donation just by transferring your points! Canary Challenge cyclists are busy drumming up donations for the ride, and this is another creative solution to add to the list.

Canary Foundation has just joined Members Give through American Express. For Canary Challenge, a gift of 40,000 points will provide the $400 donation needed to participate in the Canary Challenge.

Once you’ve chosen a gift level (again, 40,000 points for $400; 100,000 points for $1000 and so forth), please go on your own Canary Challenge fundraising page to update your fundraising efforts with this noted as an “OFFLINE GIFT” so that you receive credit for the fundraising. The check will be mailed to Canary Challenge through AMEX and Guidestar.

This is an easy new way to make a donation to Canary Foundation. If you plan to donate to Canary Challenge for a particular team or participant, please note that and send us an email with details of your contribution so that it can reach the right person’s fundraising efforts.

Train Together to Catch Cancer Social Photo Contest: #canarychallenge for Cancer Early Detection

This year, hundreds of Canary Challenge cyclists are training together to catch cancer at the earliest possible stage. In honor of their effort, we’re launching a social media contest to demonstrate the hard work and dedication that is required not only to cross the finish line, but also to cross cancer off the list of deadly diseases.

To participate in the contest, just share photos of your bike or ride using #CanaryChallenge and @CanaryFound on Instagram and Twitter. Your photo submissions will automatically appear on our live photo wall on the Canary Foundation Facebook page when you use the #canarychallenge hashtag. One a month, we’ll select one random winner and one “best photo” winner. Random winners will take home a GoPro camera, and best photo winners will get some great swag from our Partner, Vanderkitten Racing. Let the games begin!

Canary Challenge Team Contest: Is Your Team the Next Winner?

June 11, 2013

Hats off to the Alloy Ventures Team, who recently won a one night stay from our in-kind sponsor, the Palo Alto Sheraton.  The Alloy Ventures Team Captain is Kate Fry, who added the most new team members in May, cinching their team for the contest win!

Alloy Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm with over $1 billion under management that invests in the entrepreneurs creating the next generation of ground-breaking Information Technology, Life Sciences, and Cleantech companies. We’re very excited and grateful to have employees from such an incredible company fundraising on behalf of the Canary Challenge.

The contest was such a raging success that we’re starting fresh with a brand new contest. For any team that adds six new members (first come, first served), the team wins:

• One complimentary gym membership generously donated by our in-kind sponsor, Equinox Palo Alto (Value $400), PLUS
• One Sunday Brunch for two at the four-star Soleil located inside the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto, generously donated by out in-kind sponsor, Westin Hotel, Palo Alto

It’s time to get out there and rally your team for the Canary Challenge! Remember that all funds raised go to benefit cancer early detection research at the Canary Center at Stanford and the Stanford Cancer Institute.

Don’t forget to text “Canary” to 99000 for the new summer discount code. The code will be sent to your phone immediately upon texting in. This gives  $25 off the registration fee.

Canary Challenge Safety Tips: Ride Safe

June 5, 2013

We caught up with Canary Challenge Sponsor Mike’s Bikes, who provided some great tips for how to train safely for the Canary Challenge. They cover everything from riding techniques, to what to wear on your ride. What are your favorite tips to stay safe on the road? Share them with us in the comments below!

Prostate Cancer Early Detection: Balls For Balls Benefit in Los Angeles

May 20, 2013

Philanthro Los Angeles is throwing a benefit on June 22nd, and Canary Foundation is the beneficiary!  The event, entitled Balls for Balls, is a meatball-eating contest to help fight prostate cancer. 100% of net proceeds go toward Canary Foundation’s prostate program to develop tools to more accurately discriminate lethal from non-lethal prostate cancers, thus sparing thousands of men from unnecessary prostatectomy treatments.

Philanthro is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which develops a passion for philanthropy by serving as the leading platform to connect young professionals to transparent, efficient, problem-solving causes through social, volunteer & leadership activities, empowering impact & inciting action among current & future generations.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, stop by and enjoy a scotch neat or a mimosa alongside Mezz’s full bar, network with young working professionals and non-profits, and of course, learn about prostate cancer at Canary Foundation. If you have friends in L.A., we encourage you to send them information about the event and invite them to attend as well!

Canary Challenge Cycling Tips: An Exciting How to Descend Video

May 17, 2013

Watch this exciting and exhilarating “how to descend” video taken straight from Canary Challenge’s 75K route. A talented duo from Canary Challenge sponsor Mike’s Bikes plus the pro women’s cycling team Vanderkitten Racing SHOW how to safely descend on a steep curvy road like our route’s Highway 84, how to dress right in layers, and how to signal to other riders when cars are coming. Ride on!

Palo Alto Weekly Joins as Canary Challenge Sponsor to Support Cancer Early Detection

May 6, 2013

Canary is delighted to welcome the Palo Alto Weekly as a proud new media sponsor for the Canary Challenge.

The Palo Alto Weekly was founded in 1979 by a group of long-time local residents who believed that the Palo Alto community needed a high- quality newspaper to provide an alternative to the Peninsula Times Tribune. The Weekly is a most trusted source of community news for residents of Palo Alto, Stanford, East Palo Alto, and the northern Los Altos Hills. Readers turn to the Palo Alto Weekly for thoughtful news reporting, feature stories on the community and insightful arts and entertainments coverage.

In Jan. 1994, the Weekly was the first newspaper to publish its entire editorial content to the Internet.

We’re honored to have such a highly esteemed and forward-thinking publication in our corner. Join us in welcoming them to the Canary family!