From the
executive director

Dear Friends,

My colleagues and I at Little Red Door take our mission very seriously. We are here to make the most of life and the least of cancer. Our three program areas - Patient Services, Screening and Detection and Education - reach out annually to nearly 10,000 people in Central Indiana. To be effective, we set clear and measurable goals and objectives for every program. We want each person who turns to us to feel valued and to receive the best possible service. I think that the same standard is important to people like you who support our work with their donations.

Our annual audit was completed in February and, once again, Little Red Door received a clean report. And, once again, we are proud to report that more than $.85 of every dollar contributed went directly to benefit services to our clients. In pursuing our mission, we are very serious about being wise stewards of the gifts you give us. We take great care in adhering to the best of financial practices.

So, as you stretch your leg muscles for Race for the Cure and for Race Against Prostate Cancer, know that we are hard at work stretching your dollar and making it go a long way and for a very good cause.

John Aleshire
Executive Director
Little Red Door Cancer Agency


Thanks from our clients

A letter received from a client of our mammography assistance program:

"I just want to send a thank you to the staff of Little Red Door. Thank you for the help you’ve given me for a few years now in obtaining mammograms. Your joy for what you do has always come through in every phone call I have had with you. … The emotional support I received was amazing. I was scared to tears and the comfort I got from your staff was truly what gave me courage to not fall apart. … Thanks for everything you do. You and your organization are a blessing to so many."

A letter from a client of our lymphedema support program:

"You don’t know how very happy I am with the new Jovi sleeve cover! “Wow,” I said when I opened the package. I knew just by looking at it, it would be great. And it is! My fore arm is decreasing in swelling. I don’t think I’ll need to return to therapy. Thank you!"



The Manhattan Transfer
comes to Little Red Door

Last month we promised an exciting announcement, and it does not get much better than this! On Wednesday, October 19, we are going to rock the Indiana Roof Ballroom with Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned The Manhattan Transfer! This year we proudly present “An Evening with The Manhattan Transfer," which will benefit Little Red Door’s Mammography Assistance Program.

This evening of great food and knock-out entertainment is expected to sell out fast. We will have more details next month, but to get on the fast track for table reservations contact Nancy Griffith at ngriffith@littlereddoor.org


Unique Window and Door

It is a great feeling to thank someone who has contributed so much to the community. Bob Dillon, with Unique Window and Door, deserves many thanks for his company’s contributions to Little Red Door. Unique is a continuing sponsor of our Race Against Prostate Cancer each July, and had one of the largest teams this past summer.

Another great way that Unique supports Little Red Door is though its displays at home shows and other expos. For every person that provides their name and address at a show, Unique gives a dollar to Little Red Door. That may not sound like much at first, but considering that over 2,200 people submitted their names at the Indianapolis Home Show this January, it really adds up to a lot!

We send our thanks to Bob Dillon and to the rest of Unique Window and Door for their continued support. Unique is certainly a model for what businesses should do. They not only do business in the community, but they give back to it as well. Thanks.

For your information: Unique Window and Door is doing a great promotion this weekend, March 12 and 13. Anyone who sets up an appointment for a free estimate receives a FREE window for their kitchen or bathroom - no purchase necessary.


Circle of Friends
inaugural meeting on March 23

The Circle of Friends is a new organization of women whose mission is to support Little Red Door through community awareness, fund-raising, special projects, and events.

The group will have its organizational and inaugural meeting on Wednesday, March 23, beginning with dessert and coffee at 1:00 p.m. followed by the program at 1:30. Mrs. Pat Ritz, volunteer organizer, will preside. All women are welcome. If you would like to be present or receive more information about the Circle of Friends, contact John Aleshire at jaleshire@littlereddoor.org.


Race for the Cure

Monday, March 14: deadline for paper registration forms to LRD.
Friday, March 25: deadline for online team registrations.

Volunteers need to attend a pre-training session at Komen either Saturday, April 1, from 10am-1pm or Wednesday, April 6, from 4:30pm-7pm. Contact Nancy Griffith at ngriffith@littlereddoor.org or (317) 925-5595 ext. 350 for more information.

Paint the Town Pink! Decorate your window, building or store front to show your support in the fight against breast cancer. Call 317-638-CURE to register your company no later than April 1. Decorate your windows or building in pink by April 4 (for judging purposes) and keep in place until April 17. Awards will be presented on race day (April 16).


3rd Annual Race Against Prostate Cancer…That Men Might Live,
Saturday, July 9, 2005

The Race Against Prostate Cancer consists of a 5K competitive run, a 5K non-competitve run/walk, and one-mile Rev. Charles Williams family-fun run/walk. It will take place in downtown Indianapolis, starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, 2005. Organized by Little Red Door Cancer Agency and the Indiana Cancer Research Foundation, the race events will begin and end at the Indiana World War Memorial.

In 2003, nearly 500 people came out for the inaugural event. In 2004, the number of participants more than doubled to 1,300. Our goal this July is to attract 5,000 runners and walkers in support of the nearly 5,000 Hoosier men estimated to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. The Race Against Prostate Cancer is rapidly becoming one of the city’s premier summer events. Also, it is one of the kick-off events for Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration. Your partnership is vital to making this July’s race a success.

How to get involved:

• Become a Sponsor – Contact John Aleshire at (317) 925-5595 ext. 310 or jaleshire@littlereddoor.org.
• Create a team – Attend the Team Captain’s meeting at 6:30pm on Thursday, April 28th at Little Red Door, 1801 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Contact Nancy Griffith at (317) 925-5595 ext. 350 or ngriffith@littlereddoor.org for additional details.

Watch for upcoming details of how you can get signed up to Race Against Prostate Cancer.


National Colorectal Cancer
Awareness Month

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is a cancer of the colon and rectum. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops colorectal cancer, and another does not. However, it is clear that colorectal cancer is not contagious. No one can "catch" this disease from another person.

We may not know what causes colorectal cancer, however, the following risk factors for developing the disease have been identified:

• People over the age of 50
• Those with a family history of colon cancer
• A personal history of colon cancer
• Certain genetic alterations
• Colorectal polyps
• Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis/chrones disease)
• Physical inactivity
• A “fatty” diet
• Smoking
• Race (African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality rates from the disease of any racial or ethnic group in the United States)

Symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

• A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for more than a few days
• A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that doesn’t go away even after you do have a bowel movement
• Bleeding from the rectum or blood in the stool
• Cramping or gnawing stomach pain
• Gas pains, bloating, fullness
• Decreased appetite
• Weight Loss with no known reason
• Constant tiredness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Jaundice (yellow-green color of the skin and white part of the eye)

Though one may not be able to actually prevent colorectal cancer, there are some recommended screenings that will aid in early detection:

• Annual Fecal Occult Blood Test
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or Double Contrast Barium Enema every 5 years
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy with Fecal Occult Blood Test every 5 years
• Colonoscopy every 10 years

A healthy lifestyle can aid in prevention:

• eating 5-9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables daily
• eating more whole grains
• taking a multivitamin with folic acid or folate and vitamin D

Cancer Education Series: Please come and learn more about the preventable, beatable and treatable Colorectal Cancer on March 22, 2005, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Little Red Door Cancer Agency. You will be able to talk and ask questions from an internationally respected medical oncologist, Patrick J. Loehrer Sr., Professor of Medicine and Division Director of Hematology and Oncology at IU School of Medicine. Light refreshments will be served and it is a FREE event! Everyone can benefit from this - patients, social workers, caregivers, medical professionals, anyone. You will not want to miss it! Please RSVP to Tisha Reid at 317.925.5595 or e-mail at treid@littlereddoor.org.


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For more information on how you can help prevent, treat and
fight cancer here in central Indiana, visit
www.littlereddoor.org.
~Celebrating 60 Years as a Door of Hope~