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EDWARDSVILLE - Dr. Linda Cassens and cancer survivor Carley Rutledge provided one if not the most inspirational story for the area in 2016 with her presentation at the annual Allison's Hope Foundation Gala event in November.
Anyone who has or has had a family member of friend with cancer know one of the keys for survival of the patient is having hope. Allison’s Hope organization has done just that and in 12 years, raised more than $1 million for cancer research. This year’s annual Hope Gala event, a key fund-raiser for the organization, was on Nov. 12.
Rutledge was the keynote speaker at this year’s Allison's Hope Gala. Each year, the Cassens family attempts to find a speaker that will motivate and inspire the crowd and this year, Rutledge did that.
Allison’s Hope was created in honor of Allison Cassens, Linda’s daughter, who died after a battle with cancer on Oct. 2, 2004, at age 33. Allison’s final wish was to raise money for cancer research and ever since, Allison’s Hope has been on that mission. Allison’s Hope has supported cancer research efforts across the country and has been a key supporter of the Mary Crowley Research Center in Dallas, Texas. The Crowley Center works to expand treatment options for patients through the exploration of investigational molecular and cellular therapies.
“Our overall goal is to help find a cure for cancer,” Dr. Cassens said. “1.6 million adults are diagnosed with cancer each year. We think everybody counts and through philanthropic efforts like ours, we can help find a cure. Carley, our speaker at the Gala this past year, is a young lady now free of cancer. For two years, Carley has been completely free of cancer and that is absolutely wonderful. She received treatment at the Crowley Center.
“I am an advocate of Mary Crowley’s Research Center. I think Carley gives people hope. Many people with recurring cancer lose all hope. She was 15 when she first started with chemo treatments.”
Dr. Cassens said when her daughter, Allison, died, she had her promise she would work the rest of her life to find cures for cancer, and through Allison’s Hope, Linda Cassens and her organization have done that.
“My main motivation is to carry on a legacy for Allison,” Linda Cassens said. “Another part of our goals with our organization is to raise money for those in need of services they cannot pay for.”
“I was so lucky to be part of Mary Crowley’s research,” Rutledge said. “I was 15 when I was diagnosed and many young adults with cancers are almost always misdiagnosed. I was in physical therapy until about a year when they discovered I had stage four cancer.
“I didn’t get a head start. It was a rough time to be bald at 16 years old. I had some pretty crazy wigs. I had chemotherapy, surgeries. My mom is my hero. I am pretty sure my mom didn’t sleep for three years.
"Suddenly, my mom got me an appointment at Mary Crowley and told me about immune therapy, opposite of chemotherapy. It was taking cells and boosting your immune system versus killing everything inside you with a lot less side effects.
“I didn’t feel sick during my treatments at Mary Cowley. I didn’t have any side affects and my tumor wasn’t growing anymore. Mary Crowley Institute is truly on the cutting edge of cancer treatment.”
Rutledge closed at the Allison’s Hope Gala by saying: “The Mary Crowley Institute is changing the way cancer is treated and changing lives completely,” Rutledge said to the audience at the Allison’s Hope Annual Gala. “The Mary Crowley Institute is the reason I am here today.”
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