- Carolyn Rubenstein founds Carolyn’s Compassionate Children (CCC) to help alleviate the social isolation felt by many children with cancer. It begins as a pen-pal program that links childhood cancer patients to their healthy peers.
Lance Armstrong wins his first Tour de France just three years after battling testicular cancer. His celebrity athlete stature combined with his growing foundation help bring awareness to the young adult cancer community.
- CCC becomes a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
- CCC holds Holiday Letter & Gift Drive. Hundreds of gifts with letters were sent to children in hospitals across the country.
DNA micro array chip technology is successfully used by a team of 30 researchers, including ACS Clinical Research Professor Ronald Levy, MD, to identify two types of lymphoma that look the same under the microscope, but that respond very differently to standard therapy.
- CCC holds Back to School Drive. Backpacks and school supplies were collected for underprivileged children and children with life threatening illnesses (and their siblings).
Targeted therapy techniques emerge as a way to develop molecular-targeted drugs and treatment options that provide less drug resistance and side effects and a stronger fight against the specific cancer diagnosed.
- Carolyn Rubenstein featured as CosmoGirl! of the Month highlighting the success and growth of CCC.
Researchers announce some success with a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
- CCC creates a college scholarship program for young adult cancer survivors and awards a total of $5,000 to 10 recipients.
A complete draft of the human genome is released after 13 years of sequencing, and still 2 years ahead of schedule. The human genome sequencing provides new avenues for advances in medicine and biotechnology, both of which are integral to cancer research.
- CCC awards a total of $5,000 to 10 young adult cancer survivors in its second year of program operation.
The Livestrong plastic, yellow wristband is launched as part of a fundraising item for the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise $25 million for cancer research. This target was achieved in six months.
- CCC awards a total of $6,500 to 12 young adult cancer survivors in its third year of program operation.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) partners with the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) to establish the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group (PRG). The first public-private partnership of its kind, the PRG is composed of prominent members of the scientific, medical and advocacy communities. Its purpose is to develop a national agenda for adolescent/young adult oncology.
- CCC discontinues pen-pal program to focus solely on its college scholarship program.
- CCC establishes its first scholarship committee comprised of world-renowned oncologists, doctors, researchers and psychologists.
- CCC more than doubles its award pool giving a total of $15,000 to 15 young adult cancer survivors in its fourth year of program operation.
- Carolyn Rubenstein signs book deal with Tor Books, a division of Macmillan.
The first vaccine touted to help prevent cancer is marketed in 80 countries worldwide after being passed by the FDA in 2006 and the EU in 2007. This is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine which protects against the two strains of the virus that cause 70% of all cervical cancer cases, a prominent cancer in young adults.
- CCC increases its award pool, giving a total of $19,000 to 18 young adult cancer survivors in its fifth year of program operation.
- CCC becomes a member of the National Scholarship Provider Association (NSPA); the network has provided over $1 billion in scholarships nationwide.
The Susan G. Komen for a Cure Foundation invests nearly $1 billion in private funds for breast cancer research.
- CCC hires Executive Director Jamie Corder to spearhead the organization’s expansion.
- CCC becomes a member of LAF Young Adult Alliance.
- Carolyn Rubenstein enters graduate school at Harvard to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Scientists continue to see a decline in mortality rates related to cancer in older and younger age groups, yet the survival rates for young adults has not increased in decades. Young adults diagnosed today have a worse prognosis than they did 25 years ago.
