VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE –As of May 20, 2023, The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (“Foundation”), established September 26, 2000, will no longer exist. Shannon died May 20, 2000 after her courageous battle, as chronicled in this website. This Website has been updated to reflect the change from an incorporated “Foundation” to a “Memorial” to Shannon and is designed to keep remembrance of her alive.

The website, shannonmoshermemorial.com, contains the uplifting story of how she faced a 15-month battle with leukemia, that included a bone marrow transplant, with great faith, courage, grace, humility, as well as her own special sense of humor, while dealing with the myriad of medical tests, procedures, setbacks and occasional bright moments.

Much of her story remains intact from the original website text on this website. It includes just a few of the many testimonials received from people who followed and were inspired by her story. It is hoped that Shannon’s story in this Memorial website will continue to be a blessing to many for years to come, especially for those who are facing a similar ordeal and their families who are looking for encouragement and inspiration.

Since the Foundation will no longer exist as of May 20, 2023, to the extent reasonably possible an effort has been made to delete many references to “Foundation” from all of the original website text.

NOTE: With that said, the figures shown on this updated Memorial website are carried over from the original website when the Foundation was in existence. Visitors to this website should just realize that any text, figures, and other information shown BEFORE May 20, 2023 are related to when the Foundation was in existence, and anything posted AFTER May 20, 2023 represents new material on this updated Memorial website. 

Patient Assistance

2/3/23

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Effective immediately, we will no longer process Applications for Patient Assistance. After over 21 years of providing various types of assistance to leukemia patients, such as financial grants and assistance with bone marrow donor drives, we find it necessary to proceed to “close up shop” which we plan will soon include filing Articles of Dissolution to cease all activities as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit Foundation. Age and health-related issues have helped us to reach this difficult decision.

2/3/23

Our plan would be to put IMPORTANT NOTICES on all Tab home pages that explain our reasons for this action, and  to clarify that all previous website pages and information referring to the Foundation activities that make up the great majority of the Website activity simply remain on the website purely from an "human interest" perspective as information to anyone interested in Shannon's journey of 15 months battling leukemia and the effects of a bone marrow transplant and to remain for a time simply as an on-going memorial to Shannon.. Except for satisfying any Foundation-related normal remaining financial obligations, we would then plan to distribute the remaining balance to some worthwhile like-minded organizations just prior to filing the aforementioned Articles of Dissolution

How to Contribute & Serve

Annual Appeal Email: Sent 12/17/12

After the death of our daughter, Shannon, from leukemia on May 20, 2000, we fulfilled her heartfelt desire to do something to help others who face this disease by establishing a 501(c)(3) non-profit Foundation in her memory.  Our primary efforts are directed to providing financial assistance to leukemia patients for expenses not covered by insurance, and to informing and encouraging others to become registered on the national registries as prospective bone marrow/stem cell donors.  Since the Foundation sent its first reimbursement check to a leukemia patient in June, 2001, the Foundation has had the honor and privilege of providing tangible financial assistance to 46 leukemia patients and their families, including 3 new patients approved during this year alone. To date, with the generous donations received from family, friends and others, the Foundation has provided 189 individual grants to these patients totaling $39,792.16.

As a relatively small Foundation with limited resources, our Board has approved $1,000 as the maximum that we're able to provide any one patient during a 12-month period.  At some point, we would like to be able to increase the maximum that our patients can receive because, in many cases, the need is so much greater than what we can fulfill.  My wife, Teresa, and I receive no compensation for our service to this cause and we cover the cost of most of the administrative expenses.  This is just something that we've been called to do, and we feel blessed to have the opportunity to be able to fulfill Shannon's desire related to these needs.

When Shannon was in desperate need of a bone marrow donor during her second remission, we held a bone marrow/stem cell drive at our church on 2/6/00, and 420 new volunteer donors were registered. The Foundation has also since co-hosted and/or assisted at 16 additional drives, during which 994 other new donors have been added to the national registries.

This has been another very difficult year for many people in terms of the economy, jobs, and overall financial concerns, but no more so for the many patients and their families facing this horrendous disease. As 2012 draws to a close, we ask that you please consider a year-end donation to the Foundation to help us continue to meet the special needs of leukemia patients and their families. All contributions are tax-deductible and go into our General Fund, unless otherwise designated, and 100% of those funds are redirected back to leukemia patients as reimbursement for many of the expenses not met by their insurance provider.

Send your check or money order to: The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc.,

3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA  30011.  Please take advantage of any "matching gift" opportunity you may have from an employer who offers this generous benefit. Also, please visit our website: www.shannonmosherfoundation.org where you can read more about the Foundation, as well as Shannon's ordeal and the courageous battle she fought for 15 months. If you have any family members, friends and/or others whose lives have been touched by leukemia or who you think may have an interest in being part of this effort, please pass this along to them.

NOTE: THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG. #13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED).  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Blessings,

Stuart Mosher

stuartmosher@aol.com

www.shannonmosherfoundation.org

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MORE ON CONTRIBUTING

The mission of The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. ("Foundation") is fulfilled through the many generous contributions received from family, friends, corporations, surviving leukemia patients and others who have a desire to help win the battle over this disease and to help improve the odds of survival for those requiring a bone marrow transplant. 
 
There are several ways that you can help financially to assist the Foundation in its efforts:
 
1. Make a contribution to the General Fund of the Foundation to help support our Patient Assistance program. 100% of all General Contributions are redirected back to leukemia patients in form of reimbursement checks for expenses that may not be paid by their insurance. 
 
2. Make a contribution to the Bone Marrow Drive Fund of the Foundation, to help add new bone marrow donors to the national registries. These contributions go toward covering lab tissue typing costs, which presently is about $56.00 for each donor.
 
3. Make a contribution to the Operating Fund of the Foundation to help with monthly operational expenses incurred in efforts such as meeting with other leukemia patients and those needing a bone marrow transplant and in promoting the need for more bone marrow donors on the national registries.
 
NOTE: Tax-deductible contributions to the Foundation for any one of the above three Funds (if no notation is made, the contribution will go to the General Fund) may be made by clicking on a PayPal button and proceeding accordingly or sending a check or money order payable to :
 
The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., c/o Treasurer, 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011. 
 
Thank you for your generosity and desire to help. Please provide your name and full address, and the Foundation will send a written acknowledgement of your contribution. All contributions to the above Funds are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. These Funds are administered by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c) (3), non-profit tax-exempt organization located at 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011, whose primary mission is to assist leukemia patients and their families; to increase the funding for leukemia and bone marrow transplant research; and to increase the number of bone marrow donors on the national registries.
 
THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG. #13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED).  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
 
For additional information about the above specific Funds, please contact the Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com, or call 1-678-377-7036.
 
4. One area of special interest to the Foundation relates to "post-transplant complications." In order to attract significant contributions for research from corporations and other non-profit organizations and foundations, the Foundation has established The Shannon Mosher Memorial Research Fund at The Marrow Foundation in Washington, D.C.  
 
This Fund has been established to raise research money that will be directed to specific Scholars and Post-Doctoral Fellows whose works specifically pursue the study of post-transplant complications, such as graft vs, host disease and other infectious diseases which, at the end of Shannon's 15-month battle with leukemia and just two months after her bone marrow transplant, are what took her from us. 
 
Tax-deductible contributions to help in these efforts to find scientific breakthroughs that will reduce the mortality rates caused by post-transplant complications may be made to: The Marrow Foundation for The Shannon Mosher Research Fund. Mail these gifts to: 3001 Broadway St., N.E., Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55413-1753.
 
For additional information about The Shannon Mosher Research Fund, please contact The Marrow Foundation at tmf@nmdp.org or call 1-202-638-6601, or contact The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com or call 1-678-377-7036.
 
Serve
In addition to and/or in lieu of financial support, some other  practical things that you can do to assist The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. ("Foundation") in its battle against leukemia, and to help improve the odds of survival for those requiring a bone marrow transplant are listed below:
 
1. Become a registered bone marrow donor and be committed, if called, to give another person (who most likely you will not know) a chance for an extended life. For more information as to how to register, contact your local American Red Cross office, LifeSouth Community Blood Center or other Blood Services Center, the National Marrow Donor Program (1.800.627.7692 or www.marrow.org), or The Caitlin Raymond International Registry (1.800.726.2824 or www.crir.org).
 
2. Contact the Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com. with information about who in your company would be the best person to talk with to determine if they would consider hosting and/or sponsoring a bone marrow drive. Also, consider volunteering to help at a bone marrow drive in your area.
 
3. Assist in developing the Foundation's Advisory Board with community leaders and others from around the country, who will provide both tangible and leadership support to help fulfill its mission.
 
4. Assist with fundraising and development of an effective grant and endowment program that would provide the means for the Foundation to provide much needed limited financial aid grants to many leukemia patients each year, to sponsor new bone marrow drives by covering part of the tissue typing costs, and to otherwise fulfill its primary mission.
 
5. Encourage other family members, friends and business associates to get involved in helping to fulfill the Foundation's mission, by using or modifying the below sample appeal letter:
 
Sample Contributor’s Appeal Letter 
 
Dear   ______________________
    
I’m writing this letter on behalf of The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., established to honor the life of Shannon who died May 20, 2000 at age 28 after a 15-month battle with leukemia. At this time, I am asking you to join many others and us in contributing toward the Foundation’s mission of providing financial and other assistance to leukemia patients and their families; increasing the number of bone marrow donors on the national registries; and increasing funding for scientific research that targets the causes of leukemia, better treatments, and higher success rates of bone marrow transplants for patients with this disease.
 
After being diagnosed on February 11, 1999 with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), which is a form of cancer of the blood, Shannon went into complete remission after several weeks of intense chemotherapy and other treatment. However, a week before Thanksgiving the leukemia reared its ugly head once again, and a bone marrow transplant became her only chance for extending her life.
 
With the financial, prayer and emotional support of over 1,000 people like you, Shannon went to Boston, MA and had the transplant on March 18, 2000. After leaving the hospital on April 21, she was on her way to recovery until severe complications caused her to be readmitted on May 9th. Sadly, Shannon is a statistic. She is one of the 21,700 people who the American Cancer Society projected would die of leukemia during the year 2000; this number of deaths is 70% of the total 30,800 new cases of leukemia projected for 2000 in the United States. This is an unacceptable rate!!  
 
But Shannon is so much more than a statistic; she was an inspiration to thousands of people who followed her story. Visit the Foundation’s website at www.shannonmosherfoundation.org to learn more about Shannon, the struggles she and her family endured during her 15-month battle with leukemia, and other details of the Foundation’s vision and what else you can do to help.  
 
This is where you and I can be of assistance and help. Your contribution, large or small, will be greatly appreciated, and will help to fulfill the Foundation’s mission. While I hope your donation will be led by your heart, I remind you that your donation is tax deductible.  The Foundation will send a receipt for tax-reporting purposes to all contributors.  If you have any questions or would like additional information, please email the Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com or call 678-377-7036.  Financial contributions will be directed toward individual patients engulfed in their own battle against leukemia, toward giving more patients a chance at a better bone marrow donor match, and/or toward improving treatments through specific leukemia-focused scientific research.
 
Thank you for your consideration and, hopefully, your help.
 
Sincerely,