The Indiana Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary (formerly known as the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW) recently donated more than $14,500 to Hoosier Cancer Research Network. The generous gift is just one example of the VFW Auxiliary’s long-standing support for cancer research.

For more than 100 years, the VFW Auxiliary has served American veterans and active duty service members through a variety of programs, including Cancer Aid and Research. Each of its 4,500 local auxiliaries participates in raising funds toward the program. With more than 465,000 members nationwide, the impact is significant.

The Cancer Aid and Research program began in 1947, when then president of the Ladies Auxiliary Dorothy Mann learned of the plight of the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, which was heavily damaged in a fire. She pledged $60,000 to help reconstruct the laboratory, which went on to be regarded as a leading cancer research center, earning NCI Cancer Center designation in 1983.

Since its founding, the Cancer Aid and Research program has raised more than $100 million for cancer research. This funding has provided more than $5.6 million in support to research facilities, and more than $62 million in direct support to VFW Auxiliary members who are diagnosed with cancer.

In addition, the VFW Auxiliary awards a two-year $100,000 postdoctoral research fellowship each year to further cancer research. A panel of physicians and researchers reviews applications and selects the most innovative and promising proposal.

Under the leadership of 2014-2015 president Karen Muston, the Indiana Department of the VFW Auxiliary raised $97,000 toward the national Cancer Aid and Research program, the fourth largest amount raised among all state departments. Local auxiliaries across the state raised funds through a variety of events, such as bake sales, bingo events, dinners, and raffles. Nationwide, the program raised nearly $1.8 million during 2014-2015.

The national organization returns a percentage of the amount raised to each state department, and the department president chooses an organization to receive the funds. Muston chose Hoosier Cancer Research Network to receive the Indiana Department’s Cancer Research Grant for 2014-2015. HCRN was also selected to receive the 2013-2014 grant by then president Jean Haggard.

HCRN will use the funding to support investigator-initiated research.

“Hoosier Cancer Research Network is honored to once again be selected as the recipient of the Indiana Department of the VFW Auxiliary’s Cancer Research Grant,” said HCRN Chairman Christopher A. Fausel, PharmD. “It’s the generosity of efforts like this that enable us to work with some of the best doctors across the country and in Indiana, to help make cancer care better.”

Muston became involved with the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW after her husband’s return from service in Vietnam. In 1984 the Mustons moved from Indiana to Davenport, Iowa, where they established a new VFW Auxiliary post. In 1996, the family returned to Indiana, and Muston became active with the Evansville auxiliary, which is the largest local VFW auxiliary in the world. She served the auxiliary in a variety of roles, including 3 years as president.

She was encouraged by some of her local auxiliary members to run for state department president, but Muston decided to wait until her retirement in 2008 to begin the process of working toward this goal.

“It’s kind of a 10-year commitment when you decide to do this,” Muston said.

During her year as president, Muston dedicated her efforts for cancer aid and research to the memory of her daughter-in law, Violet, who lost her battle with myelogenous leukemia in 2004 at the age of 30. Reflecting on the progress made in recent years in the treatment of leukemia, Muston said, “Violet got it just a little too soon, because we have come a long way. If we didn’t have the researchers out there, we would never find a cure.”

As significant as the VFW Auxiliary’s support has been for cancer research, the program is just one of many services it provides to veterans, active duty service members, and their families. A few of the more significant nationwide services include the following:

• Americanism: Conducting programs to promote patriotism, recognition of POWs/MIAs, donation of U.S. flags, and addressing issues affecting service members, such as military suicide awareness.
• Hospital Volunteers: More than 55,000 members volunteered 800,000 service hours at VA medical centers in the past year, and distributed 255,000 handmade items to patients at VA medical centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and veterans homes.
• Legislative Services: Advocating on Capitol Hill on behalf of veterans and their families, including more than 130,000 contacts made to help pass or block important bills.
• Service to Communities and Youth: Members are active in serving their local communities, including donations to shelters, conducting food drives, aiding victims of abuse, and more.
• Scholarships: The organization sponsors art and essay contests that focus on patriotic themes and democracy, as well as scholarships for education and other expenses.

Learn more about the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.

About Hoosier Cancer Research Network:

Hoosier Cancer Research Network (formerly known as Hoosier Oncology Group) conducts innovative cancer research in collaboration with academic and community physicians and scientists across the United States. The organization provides comprehensive clinical trial management and support, from conception through publication. Created in 1984 as a program of the Walther Cancer Institute, Hoosier Cancer Research Network became an independent nonprofit clinical research organization in 2007. Since its founding, Hoosier Cancer Research Network has initiated more than 150 trials in a variety of cancer types and supportive care, resulting in more than 300 publications. More than 4,600 subjects have participated in Hoosier Cancer Research Network clinical trials.