Diana Dyer Cancer Survivor Endowment at AICR

Way back in 1999, I initiated discussions with The American Institute for Cancer Research (www.aicr.org)about giving a substantial financial donation to the important work they do, which is funding research that focuses exclusively on nutrition and cancer and then developing various means of educating the public about eating healthier diets and tastier foods to help prevent cancer.

At that time, there was very little awareness of the need for research and subsequent science-based nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to help the millions and millions of people who are cancer survivors make the best choices to optimize their odds for long-term survival that offered true hope, not just hype (or worse, potential harm).

AICR enthusiastically shared my vision and sense of urgency regarding this lack of research and education for cancer survivors. To help them broaden their goals and mission, I established The Diana Dyer Cancer Survivors' Nutrition and Cancer Research Endowment, which is managed by AICR. My endowment annually helps to fund an AICR research project that is focused on a nutritional strategy (either during treatment or recovery) that will hopefully enhance the odds for long-term cancer survivorship or optimize the quality of life after a cancer diagnosis.

My selection for 2007 is an important project that urgently needs answers. I am helping to fund research by Renee Royak-Schaler, PhD at The University of Maryland who is studying "A culturally-specific dietary plan to manage weight gain among African American breast cancer survivors." The other projects that I have funded are all listed on on my web site at the following URL:
http://www.cancerrd.com/faqs/faq53.htm (sorry that you have to cut and paste - I really thought I had finally figured out how to make the link for you - not yet I guess)

My endowment is primarily funded by the proceeds from the sale of my two books, A Dietitian's Cancer Story plus the Spanish language edition, Historia De Cancer De Una Dietista. In addition, I am very grateful to all the people who have made their own personal donations during the past seven years to my endowment, which greatly helps increase the level of research that can be funded each year. You may read more about my endowment at the following URL:
http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=how_endowment_dyer

It is very hard to believe that my book was first published 10 years ago at my neighborhood Kinko's. It has been reprinted 12 times since then (however now at a "real" book printer), and because it is still selling very well, I am getting ready for yet another reprint because there is still so much more nutrition research for cancer survivors that needs funding!

Diana Dyer, MS, RD