"Passion, not planning guided us in the beginning," recalls Aldige, who continues to serve as president of the Foundation. "I needed to do something after my father's death. So we gathered friends together one at a time – lay people, health professionals and policymakers. Soon this network reached a critical mass – enough people, enough energy, and enough passion to influence the country’s philosophic approach to cancer."
In 23 years, Aldige and others like her, have helped grow that critical mass of cancer prevention advocates exponentially. Under Aldige's watchful eye, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has provided more than $100 million in support of its mission: cancer prevention and early detection through research, education and outreach, and has become nationally recognized as a leader in the fight against cancer through prevention.
The Foundation has taken a special interest in breast, colorectal, skin, prostate, testicular, oral, lung and cervical cancers – the eight cancers for which people can reduce their risk – through regular screenings, healthy living or vaccines. Through a variety of programs and research grants, the Foundation is helping to advance the awareness and understanding of these cancers to new levels.
One such program was born more than fifteen years ago, when Aldige saw a great need in her own backyard. The Washington D.C. area was found to have the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country. Aldige was immediately on the look-out for ways she could help. Soon, the Prevent Cancer Foundation had partnered with George Washington University to increase access to breast cancer screening mammograms among minorities, the poor, and the uninsured through its Mammovan. This RV-sized mobile screening unit continues to play a vital role in providing these life-saving screenings.
In an effort to raise colorectal cancer awareness, Aldige prompted the Prevent Cancer Foundation, together with its founding partners, to convince the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to designate March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in 2000. Since then, the month of March has been full of news stories, magazine articles and radio spots dedicated to raising awareness of colon cancer screening guidelines and risk factors. The result: Deaths from this preventable cancer have declined.
When one thinks about state fairs, cancer prevention is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, Aldige saw an opportunity to reach the rural populations of the United States. In that vein, the Prevent Cancer Foundation is using this unique, family oriented venue to reach rural communities with free cancer screenings and cancer prevention information. The Foundation's State Fairs Project works through collaborations with local health care providers to make health education and screening available at state fairs across the country.
Today, through its numerous programs, publications and grant awardees, the Foundation and its mission have been accepted and embraced by the nation's most prestigious cancer-related professional organizations and millions of average Americans.
Aldige's tireless work through the Prevent Cancer Foundation has not gone unnoticed in the cancer community either. In recognition of her many contributions to the Washington, D.C. community, Aldige was named a Washingtonian of the Year in 1996. She is the only individual to be bestowed with Public Service Awards from the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Preventive Oncology.
Aldige now sits on the board of the National Coalition for Cancer Research, having served for eight years as its president. She also serves on the boards of six National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers.
She has been a member of C-Change (formerly the National Dialogue on Cancer) since its inception and through her leadership, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has embraced C-Change's cutting-edge techniques to raise cancer awareness in all populations. Aldige serves on committees and task forces of the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Preventive Oncology, the International Digestive Cancer Alliance, the Global Lung Cancer Coalition and the Coalition for a Stronger FDA.
"I couldn't prevent my father’s death from cancer," says Alidge. "But every day I go to work hoping I’ll be able to help others be spared the suffering he endured."
