Our History
The History of Tomorrow's Hope.
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In April 1998, a group of volunteers met to organize a fundraiser that would have a direct impact on people in southern Wisconsin touched by life-limiting illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more…
Tomorrow’s Hope was created in 1998 by a handful of energetic and caring Jefferson, Wisconsin residents. These people had been leading successful Relay for Life events, in Jefferson, for the American Cancer Society for several years.
They became disheartened, however, when they couldn’t get answers to their questions about how much of the money they (and other area Relay groups) helped raise for ACS was used to directly benefit people in Jefferson, Dodge and eastern Dane counties. About the same time, they also learned that Fort HealthCare, one of the key local healthcare providers in the area, didn’t receive any funds from the American Cancer Society (and they still don’t).
These local leaders wanted to make a big and positive difference in their communities. They were working hard for the cause and felt the money that they, and their friends, family, neighbors, businesses and others raised should stay in the local area and benefit local residents. They wanted to make sure donated dollars were used to directly help local people close to home.
Finally, although many founders of Tomorrow’s Hope had been personally affected in some way by cancer, they also knew that patients and families touched by any type of serious life-limiting illness had the same fears and needs. People affected by Alzheimer’s, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, diabetes and more needed just as much help and support as cancer patients and their caregivers.
So, Tomorrow’s Hope was created to raise money, and grant it locally, for the benefit of all area residents with any type of life-limiting illness. Everyone hurts and hopes the same. We are all one in the journey of life.