Faces of STRINGS

Faces of STRINGS are primarily breast cancer survivors who are in some way connected to StringsforaCURE. They may have received a gift card, medical grant, comfort basket or may be an SFAC supporter who has helped spread the word about our organization. This is our way of honoring them for the courageous women that they are. We also want to raise awareness of breast cancer and show how our lives go on and even thrive after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Clockwise: Tricia McAndrew, Karen Ducato, Elaine Crandall, Edie Bunting, Debi Tarasovich, Jane McMaster Thornton, Ali Irwin, Linda Wilkinson, Brenda Berchtold, Nikki Pachell, Sandy Jordano (lower center), Elisa Guida (upper center)Photographs by Patti Larson Photography & Design

Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.

“I just wanted to express my deepest thanks and appreciation for the $100 gas card I received in the mail from SFAC recently!! This will really help my family a lot….your organization and everyone involved are amazing!!!!! Lisa”

Booklet Credits:Edited by Patti LarsonTechnical Assistance by Ed SaloumPrinted by Printing Concepts, Inc., Erie, PA.

Cover Photos:

“I just wanted to write a note to you personally and thank you for

the KwikFill gas card. With the increasing prices of gas and my

weekly treatments it surely is a great help financially. I commend

you for this organization and hope in the future to be able to

make a donation or purchase that would help others put your

generosity to good use. Thank you again. C.B.”

Faces of STRINGS

OLI BROWN

CHRIS DAUGHTRY

ERIC BREWER & RALPH REITINGER

Our VisionStringsforaCURE® educates, comforts, supports and provides financial assistance directly to cancer patients, primarily those with breast cancer.

“Dear Elisa & SFAC,I cannot thank you enough for the generous Giant Eagle gift card for my family. Having been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 41 just 4 Months ago put us into a tailspin. Our lives changed forever, but to know that there is help in so many ways has softened the blow. This gift helped with my gas to Cleveland Clinic & will provide me with an opportunity to access the best care I can. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!Melanie, Cancer Survivor :)”

Mission StatementStringsforaCURE® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing education, comfort, support and financial assistance directly to cancer patients, primarily those with breast cancer. We provide gas, grocery and pharmacy gift cards, comfort baskets and medical grants to help ease patients’ emotional and financial burdens from diagnosis to survivorship. We offer educational materials that educate patients on cancer prevention and raise awareness of the importance of nutrition and wellness to recovery.Support for our mission is provided through the following fund-raising efforts:

◊ Guitar String Jewelry – Guitar strings donated byfamous musicians are transformed into one-of-a-kind bracelets, earrings, pendants and rings. We are a Green Foundation, and our jewelry is made in the U.S.A.

◊ Online Virtual Quilt◊ Pennies2Patients program◊ Pickin' On Cancer fundraiser◊ Private donations

WILLIE NELSON

OLI BROWN

Thank You Letter From One of Our Many Gift Card Recipients

Dear Elisa,

I want to take the time to thank StringsforaCURE for the gift card I received. I remember filling out the form and then I forgot about it. When I opened my mail, I was shocked to receive such a nice gift that I didn’t take for granted. I knew I would spend it on meat that I needed and had gone without and that’s exactly what I did. The one stipulation that I remember clearly asked that the gift not be used on tobacco products! No problem there! I couldn’t imagine doing that but understand why you would state that.

Also, I found your website ‘breast cancer tips’ sheet very good. I especially liked that it had local places of interest with contact information. It was a nice up-to-date resource that will keep me busy for a while!

I wear the wristband, too! In a recent meeting at work, I was able to show it to Amanda Karns (her family business is World of Music here in Erie). She knew of you and your mission and I shared that I was the lucky recipient of one of the gift cards. It was one of the many conversations I have enjoyed with her.

Thank you for educating me and others about breast cancer and for providing financial assistance during a difficult time. I am still on my journey but consider myself a cancer survivor already. Keep up the excellent work.

Sincerely,Mary

Marrying in the summer of ’94, we were hoping to start a family. This is where my life took its first detour. Nine months later, I was hoping to hear the words “you’re pregnant” and instead I heard the words “you have breast cancer,” which changed my life forever. How could that be? After all, I had no lump. After surgery and several radiation treatments, which left my right jewelry making arm numb for 9 ½ years, life went on. While healing and coming to terms with not having children, a new love for gardening developed. The jewelry business thrived, and my husband, Ed, and I started traveling abroad to Italy. Life was good!

When it was time to celebrate my 10 year anniversary of being cancer free, we decided to go to Santa Fe, a very spiritual place, to mark this milestone. Call it intuition; I knew my cancer was back. Again, no lump, but upon returning to have my annual mammogram, my suspicions were confirmed. Indeed the cancer was back. Choosing to have a mastectomy, my biggest decision would be whether or not to have reconstruction surgery. After doing massive research in this area about the pros and cons of having a radiated breast and appointments with my breast cancer surgeon and a reconstructive plastic surgeon, a final decision was made. My mastectomy without reconstruction took place on November 7, 2005. Mastectomy surgery was much easier than the lumpectomy and radiation therapy that took place 10 years prior. Treatment was not required the second time which put a big smile on my face!

After my recurrence, I realized getting the word out about healthy living and making informative decisions when faced with a breast cancer diagnosis would became a mission of mine. It was always my belief that it was better to base your decisions on knowledge, rather than fear. Inspired during a 2008 Bon Jovi concert, I thought “why not get famous musicians to donate their used guitar strings and I would design jewelry out of the strings and help women with breast cancer.” That is when StringsforaCURE® was born! My love for making jewelry intersected with my love of music - a simple idea that is now changing lives.

It was quite an honor to become one of the Dynamic Women in the Erie Community, receiving the Mercy Center for Women “Women Making History 2014” award.

What StringsforaCURE has done in four short years has far exceeded my expectations. As this booklet goes to print we have given out over 600 gas grocery or pharmacy gift cards, approved over 36 Medical Grants, shipped many informative books and given out several comfort baskets for a total of over $75,187 providing help directly to these patients. Please visit our website at www.StringsforaCURE.org to see how our numbers keep growing and to learn about our programs that include fundraising opportunities so that we can continue providing help directly to cancer patients, primarily those with breast cancer.

Read elisa’s Story in its entirety on our website: StringsforaCURE.org

To quote John Lennon: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans!”

My love for music began at the age of 9 after witnessing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. A love for making jewelry began in 1972 at the age of 17, leaving the Philly area to study Art at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. A very independent soul, a few months after graduation, in the summer of ’76, my dreams were realized when I started my own custom jewelry business. It would take decades before my love for music and jewelry would intertwine.

elisa’s Story

SFAC offers the following programs and services:

◊ $100 Gift Cards for gas, groceries & pharmacy to help cover the cost of groceries and medications as well as travel to and from treatment.

◊ Medical Assistance Grants to cover medically necessary medical supplies and services not covered by insurance, including co-pays for office visits and medications. We have been focusing on helping breast cancer patients in need of lymphedema garments that are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. By purchasing these garments, we hope to provide a better day to day quality of life for these patients.

◊ Comfort Baskets to provide comfort and emotional support to cancer patients during their treatment. These baskets include robes, slippers and other specially selected products to provide a “pick me up” for the patient after surgery or during treatments.

◊ Books that educate patients on a cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention and also to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition and wellness to recovery. We want patients to make decisions based on knowledge rather than fear.

◊ On line resources:• Elisa’s Personal Breast Cancer Tips • On-line Resource Guide compiled by the the Cancer Task Force of Erie County

What Does StringsforaCURE Do?

TRICIA AND ELAINE

StringsforaCURE is Helping Patients One STRING at a Time!

StringsforaCURE is helping to ease the financial burden of cancer patients and achieving some amazing milestones!

“Elisa,Thank you again for the Wegmans gift card. You

are definitely an angel doing what you do. I can

tell by all of the testimonials how appreciative so

many people are for the selfless act you are

doing. May you continue to be blessed.

Nancy”

“Just want to thank you for my WalMart gift card… it was much appreciated and needed… When living on a fixed income and doing everything on your own, any help is wonderful. I think what you guys do is amazing!! Lisa”

In four short years, StringsforaCURE® has helped over 500 cancer patients, primarily breast cancer patients, giving over $75,187 directly to these patients.

Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.

Testimonials: Music To Our Ears

“Dear Elisa,

With many thanks again for the Walmart gift card. As before, with

the assurance that the purchases will promote health and wellness.

It also has help ease the financial burden as I’m navigating my

journey from diagnosis and treatment to being a survivor.

May God bless you day by day!

B. R.”

“Dear Elisa,Thank you so much for making it possible to get a $100 Giant Eagle Gift Card. I used it towards co-pays for the prescriptions and the rest towards groceries. It really helped. God bless you for helping breast cancer patients like me while I am on this journey. Your support is appreciated so very much.Sincerely,J.M.”

“Dear StringsforaCURE,I received your generous Gift Card & I wish to thank you for this gift. It is a wonderful gesture that your organization is doing for people like me with breast cancer. It is a giant help & I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sincerely, Sherry”

“Thank you so much for the gift card, I really appreciate

your kindness. I was diagnosed on January 23, 2006. I had a

mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. Then 2 years later it

went to my spine. My whole spine is covered with mets. I am

52 years old and I will be on an ongoing chemo plan. I truly wish

they could come up with a cure as I have met so many people

even younger than myself that have died. I will be putting the

money to good use. Thank you.

Carol”

Virtual Quilt

The StringsforaCURE On-line Virtual Quilt provides a means of remembering or honoring a friend or loved one.

Become part of our ever-growing trend: make a $5, $10, $25, or $50 donation and pick a patch!

Funds received from the donations for the Virtual Quilt help to further our mission.

Make a donation online and become a part of the ever growing and beautiful StringsforaCURE Virtual Quilt by visiting www.VirtualQuilt.org

Our Fund-Raising Programs

Pennies2PatientsThe money collected through our Pennies2Patients program helps to fund our efforts to educate, comfort, support and provide financial assistance directly to cancer patients, primarily those with breast cancer.

Just request a Pennies2Patients collection container from StringsforaCURE and start collecting pennies and any other loose change, bills or checks!

StringsforaCURE JewelryElisa Guida, StringsforaCURE Founder and Executive Director, is also a jeweler by trade. Elisa transforms guitar strings donated by famous musicians into one-of-a-kind pendants, earrings, bracelets, and rings. The monies raised from jewelry sales help to fund our mission to educate, comfort, support and provide financial assistance directly to cancer patients.Browse our website www.StringsforaCURE.org for the wide selection of one-of-a-kind pendants, earrings, bracelets, and rings and purchase jewelry made from guitar strings donated by your favorite musician.

DAVY KNOWLES & JEFF PILSON

ERIC BREWER

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

JOE GRUSHECKY

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

ED AND ELISA MEET BRET MICHAELS

A FAN SHOWS MELISSA HER SFAC JEWELRY

Pickin' On Cancer FundraiserEach year, the SFAC Foundation hosts a fundraising event called Pickin’ On Cancer featuring local musicians. The event includes the sale of StringsforaCURE jewelry, a gift basket raffle, 50/50’s and other activities. A special tribute to cancer survivors is an important feature of the event.

Support the StringsforaCURE Fundraiser:◊ Become an event sponsor◊ Donate a basket for the auction ◊ Purchase a ticket and come and enjoy the live music, gift

basket raffle and all the other fundraising activities!

Proceeds benefit our mission to educate, comfort, support and provide financial assistance directly to cancer patients, primarily those with breast cancer.

There are many ways to help StringsforaCURE!• Be a volunteer• Place a Pennies2Patients jar in your community• Be a Pickin’ on Cancer Sponsor and/or attend the

fundraiser• Or ...Donate and receive a patch in our Virtual Quilt

Here is what your donation can provide:

How Can You Help?

Provides a patient with educational materials on breast cancer, nutrition and wellness.

Provides a patient with a book, such as “The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer” by Hollye Jacobs

Provides a full or partial Medical Grant to a breast cancer patient to help pay for medically necessary supplies and services not covered by their insurance.

Provides a patient with a Comfort Basket containing specially selected products!

Provides a patient with a gas, grocery or pharmacy Gift Card!

Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.

StringsforaCUREP.O. Box 9823Erie, PA 16505

StringsforaCURE FoundationBoard of Directors for 2014 - 2015

Printing Concepts, Inc.Erie, PA

www.StringsforaCURE.orgelisa@StringsforaCURE.org

Elisa Guida - Founder and Executive Director

Carol Hirsch - Chairperson Patti Larson - Development Director and Treasurer

Nicole Brugger - Secretary Linda Wilkinson

Gregg Allman Gerry Beckley Jon Bon Jovi Joe Bonamassa Gerry Beckley Paul Bielatowicz Dewey Bunnell

Michael Burks Larry Carlton Chris Cornell Eric Czar Chris Daughtry Bill Deasy Nathan East Melissa Etheridge

Tom Gimbel Joe Grushecky Buddy Guy Daryl Hall Ric Hall Chrissie Hynde Donnie Iris Eric Johnson Tom Johnston

Mick Jones Wynonna Judd Mat Kearney Sonny Landreth Jonny Lang Howard Leese Eliot Lewis Lyle Lovett

George Lynch Peter Mayer John McFee Bret Michaels Pat Monahan Willie Nelson Carl Palmer Phillip Phillips

Ricky Phillips Jeff Pilson Al Pitrelli Grace Potter John Prine Paul Rodgers Todd Rundgren Carmine Rojas

Carlos Santana Tommy Shaw Kenny Wayne Shepherd Pat Simmons Rick Springfield Jimmy Stafford

Orlando Wright Dweezil ZappaJenny Abbott Kevin John Allen Devon Allman Ronnie Baker Brooks Michael Williams Band

Jake Banta Greg Barone Brendan Bayliss Zach Bevill Dave Blaetz Marcus Bonfanti Clayton Britt

Joshua Britt Eric Brewer Oli Brown Chas Burnett Katie Chriest Mark Chulick Jake Cinninger Denny Crotty Jim DeMonte Rick DiBello

Demian Dominguez Chris Duarte Paul Eisert Atom Ellis Tim Farrell Kyle Forbes Ruthie Foster

Josh Garrett David Gogo Paul Goll Anthony Gomes John Halmi Matthew Heulitt Marty Lee Hoenes

Derf Hopsecger Chris Thomas King Davy Knowles Tallan Noble Latz Hamilton Loomis Hector Maldonado

Ryan McGarvey Chantel McGregor Virgil McMahon Bobby Messano Mike Mizwinski Keb Mo

Oskar Montelius Mark Murphy S Mato Nanji Denny Nemenz Rob Neville Randy Panas Sheldon Peterson

Ralph Reitinger Kev Rowe Joey Salvia Matt Schofield Christian Sedelmyer Jon Sedelmyer

Ryan Stasik Joe Stefanelli Rikard Sundén Pär Sundström Patrick Talarico Sandi Thom Bob Tome

Keith Veshecco Ana Vidovic Aaron Williams Z

JON BON JOVI

JON BON JOVI

KYLE FORBES

TODD RUNDGREN