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 on 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

As with the decision noted to our Board in February, 2021 to stop hosting Bone Marrow Drives due to a lack of any response to the totally digital drive held in 2020, we have also decided that we have run the course with actively seeking to provide financial assistance to leukemia patients. With that said, while we still operate briefly as an incorporated Foundation, we'll try to process any reimbursement requests we receive, but we'll gradually begin to "close up shop" which we understand will finally involve filing Articles of Dissolution with the appropriate Florida and Georgia agencies.

MISSION

Abbreviated Mission Statement:  The primary mission of The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. was threefold:

1. To provide leukemia patients and their families with financial aid and other tangible assistance, as well as emotional support; and

2. To increase significantly the number of bone marrow donors on the most recognized worldwide bone marrow registries; and
3. To increase significantly the 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.

Applying For Financial Assistance: NOTE: See the above 2/3/23 IMPORTANT NOTICE. ASSUME THIS SECTION IS DELETED. If you are a leukemia patient who would like to be considered for limited financial aid, send an email describing your situation and including the patient's name, home address, phone number and name and address of the hospital where the treatment is being received to: stuartmosher@aol.com, or mail it to: The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. at 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA  30011. Our Patient Assistance program provides aid in form of reimbursements for certain expenses not covered by your insurance provider.  If tentatively qualified, a financial grant application form will be sent to you for completion. A parent or other involved family member or friend, acting on behalf of a minor leukemia patient, may also assist in providing the appropriate information to the Foundation.

Expanded Mission Statement: ASSUME THIS SECTION IS DELETED 5/20/23

As paraphrased from Article Two in the Foundation's Articles of Incorporation - The corporation is a voluntary association of individuals and organizations the purposes of which shall include without limitation the following:

1. To increase significantly charitable contributions directed specifically to scientific research that targets a better understanding of the causes of leukemia, the development of better treatments for leukemia, and higher success rates of bone marrow transplants for patients with this disease;

2. To be a resource and haven for patients and/or the families of patients who are going through an experience similar to that of Shannon and her family by providing assistance such as bone marrow drives, fundraising, limited financial aid gifts, and emotional support specific to leukemia and related bone marrow transplant issues;

3. To increase significantly the number of bone marrow donors on the most recognized worldwide bone marrow registries, such as the National Marrow Donor Program and the American Bone Marrow Registry.

The Motivation Behind Establishing this Foundation:The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc.  ("Foundation") was established to honor the life of Shannon Mosher, who died at the age of 28 on  May 20, 2000, after a courageous 15-month battle with leukemia. When Shannon was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) on February 11, 1999, she made a decision at the outset to fight this disease with a remarkable positive, uplifting attitude that proved to be an encouragement and inspiration to thousands of those who followed her story.

After being in first remission for several months, Shannon relapsed November 18, 1999 and faced another regimen of chemotherapy that had to achieve a second remission if she was to have any chance at a potential life-saving bone marrow transplant. The second remission was achieved within a few weeks, and she was blessed to have an unrelated donor commit to provide her with the bone marrow she desperately needed.

On March 18, 2000, Shannon received the transplant at  Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. After many difficult days and much prayer, she was released from the hospital on day 34 post-transplant (April 21st), which was Good Friday. Her family was blessed to have her home at their short-term Boston apartment a few blocks from the hospital for 18 special days, before she developed complications and had to be readmitted to the hospital. 

Connect to the "About Shannon" tab to learn more about this courageous young lady, and connect to the "History & Transplant" tab to find a more complete history of the ordeal that she and her family endured, which sadly ended on May 20, 2000 as Shannon slipped away from her loved ones as a result of complications from the leukemia treatment and bone marrow transplant.

In late 1999 and during the early months of 2000, Shannon and her dad, Stuart, often spoke about taking up a "crusade" when she returned to Atlanta after recovering from her transplant. The mission of this Foundation was to keep alive Shannon's heartfelt wish and desire to make a difference in the lives of others who face a similar battle with leukemia and who might also have a bone marrow transplant in order to survive this disease.

Contributions: 2/3/23 Ignore this section. Donations no longer accepted. There are several ways that you can help financially to assist the Foundation in its efforts:

1. Make a contribution to the General Fund 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, 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 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 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  by 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 to receive 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.

4. One area of special interest relates to "post-transplant complications." In order to attract significant contributions for research from corporations and other non-profit organizations and foundations, The Shannon Mosher Memorial Research Fund at The Marrow Foundation in Washington, D.C. has been established. 

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.