CALLING ALL DONORS
45 YEARS AND COUNTING.... ( continued)
you). While not yet able to see patients throughout the entire county, CST has pushed its boundaries further north. For the first time, CST now sees patients from Ossining, Mt. Kisco and Katonah. “We are offering vital services to areas where there are large numbers of patients who need us,” says Bonnie Gould, board member and programming committee chair.
often affect patient outcomes. Education is key. Gould explains: “By offering our model of one-on-one education and support to patients and families, CST is trying to reduce healthcare disparities and increase access to essential healthcare services for those impacted by cancer.” It’s with no small sense of accomplishment that board chair Walters adds: “CST’s success over the past 45 years – and our on-going growth - is something we know Arnold and Gayle would be very proud of.”
We could not do the work we do without you! Yes, Cancer Support Team is fortunate that several institutional funders recognize the work we do and have provided significant support over the years. But as welcome as this is, those contributions fall far short of meeting the needs of all the people we serve. From its inception, we have relied on individual donors like you to make the difference. Because of you, we provide our Westchester neighbors the help they need, when they need it, without regard to ability to pay. We don’t bill DEDICATED DONATIONS Honor someone’s birthday or anniversary with a special gift to CST. The website makes it easy to do: www.cancersupportteam.org/DONATE. Memorial gifts are also a way to let a family know you are thinking of them. RECURRING GIFTS Monthly or quarterly donations are a reliable source of income and help CST budget better. “It’s easy, and I do not have to think about it,” says Christina Staudt, longtime CST supporter. “Small amounts add up to a major donation by the end of the year.” MATCHING GIFTS Many for-profit companies offer corporate matching gift programs that can enhance the impact of a personal gift. “I work for a Fortune 500 company that has a one-to-one match up to a certain dollar amount. Setting it up was very easy,” adds Severine Blond, a CST board member. REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS (RMDS) As of 2023, the age at which you must start taking withdrawals from your tax-deferred accounts (IRA, 401K, etc.) is 73. One way to reduce the tax bite on these distributions is to make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). The maximum total amount of your QCDs is $100,000 per year. Mark Edmiston, CST advisory board member notes, “we started to use money from our RMD to support all the charities we are involved with. It just makes good sense. We want to donate anyway, and this is an additional benefit.”
insurance either, so our clinical staff are free to do what needs to be done without bureaucratic red tape. Not surprisingly post-pandemic, we are seeing a big increase in our census. We need to raise even more than we have in the past, and that’s where you come in. You may not be aware that there are many ways to support CST besides writing a check once a year (although we are more than grateful that you do!) To that end, here is a list of ways to donate to CST that you may find useful as you continue to support your neighbors through our unique organization: PLANNED GIVING Bequests to CST are a very effective way to help provide for CST’s future. John Gould is a retired attorney and longtime supporter. He and his wife Bonnie have been involved for over 20 years. John notes, “we believe strongly in CST and the importance and effectiveness of its work. We want to help provide support for CST’s future and are pleased to say that we have included CST in our estate-plans.” You can also quickly donate by scanning our QR code with any mobile phone! As a current member of CST’s board, Bonnie points out, “CST is working on establishing a Legacy Society.” She adds, “we hope you will let Tania Weiss know if you have already included CST in a bequest or other planned gift. Your willingness to be listed as a member of the Legacy Society will encourage others to follow your example.”
CST’s board is very aware of the so-called “hot spots” in Westchester where social determinants of health
LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS
CST is dedicated to educating the general public about all things cancer-related. In addition to participating in health fairs and community outreach, we also offer many ways to find information - our resource guide Life Lines , our website, this newsletter and our regular News & Views emails. CST is now on the radio as well. Let’s Talk About This with Tania Weiss is a new monthly program carried on
WVOX, Channel 1460 AM. We invite an expert --a doctor, scientist, therapist, or community partner to discuss the latest in cancer prevention, medical advances and treatments, and of course where to find help. The half hour program airs at 2:30 pm the first Thursday of the month. It is also available on the CST website as a podcast. Go to www. cancersupportteam.org/PODCAST for more information.
Dr. Sandeep Saluja, Hudson Dermatology and Tania Weiss, CST Executive Director
CELEBRATE SPRING A GREAT SUCCESS
Last May, nearly 200 people gathered to “Celebrate Spring” at the Bronxville Field Club. RuthAnn Brazill, longtime CST Board Member, and Phil Orlando, Advisory Board Member, were honored for their dedication and service to CST.
“It was wonderful to see such a large turnout for this event. Both RuthAnn and Phil have been so involved in raising money for us year after year, allowing CST to grow and help more cancer patients each year,” says Marlissa Westerfield, Board Member and chair of the event. “Their friends, family and many of our CST supporters wanted to let them know their efforts are very appreciated.”
The evening’s featured speaker was Reverend Anthony McLean, a CST patient who spoke from the heart about the services he has received and how meaningful this support has been to him and his family.
Reverend Anthony McLean CST Patient and Lou Altieri, CST Volunteer Driver
RuthAnn Brazill, CST Board Member and Honoree, Tania Weiss, CST Executive Director, Marlissa Westerfield, CST Board Member, Phil Orlando, CST Advisory Board Member and Honoree
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