ROCK SPRINGS — The executive board of local charity Cowboys Against Cancer is pleased and excited to announce new changes to their by-laws to better assist Sweetwater County residents afflicted with cancer and needing post-diagnosis treatment.
The charity, began over 19 years ago by local entrepreneur Margaret Parry, was originally organized to raise money to help with out-of-town travel expenses for local citizens with cancer. Until recently, Sweetwater County residents with cancer had no other options than to travel out of town because cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation were not available locally.
However with the recent additions of chemotherapy treatments at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and the much anticipated opening of the new local cancer center, many residents are choosing to stay home and receive treatment. With the limits imposed by the original bylaws, the charity was unable to give those cancer patients any grant funds as they did not have to travel away from home. Cowboys Against Cancer is a 501c organization registered with the federal government and must adhere to the bylaws as written or risk losing their charitable organization status. CAC could not give money to people staying locally for treatment without risk to their charitable status.
Therefore at a recent meeting of the executive board, the charity decided to remedy this situation by using a two-tiered grant approach for the new bylaws. Residents who choose to stay in Sweetwater County for all their cancer treatments can apply for a grant of $1500.
If these patients later have to travel out of town, they can reapply for the remaining $1500.
Residents who decide to seek treatment somewhere besides Sweetwater County can continue to apply for the $3000 grant just as in the past. In this manner Cowboys Against Cancer can assist all residents of Sweetwater County who have a cancer diagnosis and require follow up treatments, regardless of what individual decisions they make concerning where they wish to receive their life-saving treatments while battling their illness.
“Originally we didn’t have cancer treatment locally,” said founder Margaret Parry, a cancer survivor herself. “I am excited we have made these changes to give people who decide to stay here in town for treatment a grant as well as those who travel elsewhere. It is hard to travel when you are sick and how fortunate we are to have the choice available to stay home. Not all rural areas like ours are lucky enough to have cancer treatments available locally,” added Parry.
“The Cowboys Against Cancer board and army of volunteers is looking forward to the 20th annual fundraising event which will be held on November 1, 2014,” Parry stated. “We are thrilled with the changes we made enabling us to help more people who now have more options available to them than ever before.”
According to Parry, CAC is unique as a charity because there is no paid staff at all. Each year, the event is planned, organized and conducted entirely with volunteers. “Not many charities can make the claim they are 100% volunteer,” Parry reported.
