About us

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Our Vision and Mission

Anita’s Hope is dedicated to creating a community in Western and Upstate New York for ovarian cancer patients and survivors as well as their family, friends and caregivers.  We are committed to creating a supportive, caring, and informative community for women coping with ovarian cancer, lending a helping hand throughout their journey.

Anita’s Hope Foundation is the only private foundation dedicated solely to ovarian cancer in Western and Upstate New York.  Our mission is:

  • To promote ovarian cancer awareness and the importance of testing and early detection to our New York community
  • To create a supportive community for those touched by ovarian cancer where all can find a source of support and information as they travel through the journey of this disease
  • To raise funds to support research in ovarian cancer as well as to improve treatment of ovarian cancer and related services in Western and Upstate New York

NOT-FOR-PROFIT STATUS

Anita’s Hope is approved as a 501 (3) c not-for-profit corporation, which can receive contributions as tax-exempt donations from individuals and corporations and can also provide grants to schools, research institutes, and other not-for-profit organizations. Our Federal Employer Tax ID number is 83-2130913.

The Foundation was formed in 2018 by the family of Anita’s Hope, who was an ovarian cancer survivor for seven years. In January 2019 we received our official not-for-profit status from the IRS. View letter HERE.

For more information about our not-for-profit status, please contact us at info@anitahopemorsefoundation.org

Anita’s story

Always an advocate for a healthy lifestyle, Anita was the last person you would ever think to be cancer’s next target. She exercised regularly, ate healthy and most importantly, loved life. She was an active mother of two, a teacher, and a beloved member of the community. Unfortunately, cancer had a different plan for her. The “silent killer,” known as ovarian cancer, took control of Anita’s life at the age of 53. She fought with dignity and strength for the next 7 years, undergoing continuous chemotherapy treatment and suffering the consequential symptoms. Up until her very last days, she lived her life to the fullest, lending a helping hand to others and providing joy to all around her. Her story and legacy live on in her community, with her family, and in this organization, serving as a beacon of hope and empowerment to those undergoing a similar journey.

 

Learn more about Anita through the eyes of her sisters.

Marie's remembrance
Louise's remembrance

THE FOUNDATION’S BOARD AND VOLUNTEERS

Our board is small, comprised entirely of volunteers who are solely dedicated to the foundation. All funds donated by Anita’s family and other donors are used solely for charitable purposes.

  • Marie Regazzi, President

Marie is Anita’s older sister and a retired certified oncology nurse, who was in an oncology practice for over 20 years.

  • John Regazzi, Director

John is Anita’s brother-in-law and retired.

  • Louise Callagy, Director

Louise is Anita’s younger sister who was also BRACA positive, and decided to undertake several preventive major surgeries.

  • Thomas Regazzi, Chairman

Thomas left this corporate career to join the foundation and help in raising funds and awareness for ovarian cancer and the importance of creating a community of patients, survivors, healthcare providers, and caregivers in western New York. Prior to joining the Foundation, Tom has been Head of Prime Finance for North America at Citigroup Inc., and had worked at UBS AG as Head of Synthetic Equity Trading.

Supporters & Collaborators

As of now the Regazzi and Callagy families are fully supporting the foundation, including John, Thomas, Michael, Danielle, Crista, Gissel, Sean, Kevin, and Brett.  We gladly welcome others who would like to get involved and support our efforts to raise awareness and fight ovarian cancer.

Why we fundraise & where the money goes

The foundation raises funds to foster ovarian cancer awareness, support the community in Western and Upstate New York dealing with this disease, and provide funds for research and improved treatment within our community. We will be working with the community and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) to create and sustain a chapter of the NOCC in Western and Upstate NY.

The foundation has three programs:

  • A college scholarship for high school seniors who demonstrate ovarian cancer awareness through personal experience within their family or research.
  • A speaker’s program of experienced healthcare professionals who will discuss the importance of early testing, early symptoms and detection, as well as new and current trends in ovarian treatment. Talks will take place in high schools, colleges, libraries, health centers, and other sites in Western and Upstate New York.
  • An annual 5K Run/Walk for Research to physically gather the community together in support, share experiences, raise funds, and remember the courageous and hope-filled journey that Anita’s Hope traveled in her fight against ovarian cancer. We invite other families to commemorate their family members as well.