Thank you for an incredible 2024 MCCRF Gala!

We are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity and commitment of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers, whose support has propelled the 2024 MCCRF Gala to raise over $440,000.

MCCRF was able to award 5 new colorectal cancer research project grants this year!

If you missed the event, there’s still time to make a meaningful impact by donating to the 2024 research project fund.

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Photos from the MCCRF Gala are here!

We are delighted to share the beautiful images captured from the evening by Jennifer Schaaf Photography. 

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Photobooth Photos

We loved seeing everyone create unforgettable memories at the photo booth! Check out the album from the 2024 Gala. 

Giving Tuesday Community Happy Hour at Utepils Brewing

Supporters of the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation (MCCRF) gathered at Utepils Brewing on Giving Tuesday to raise awareness and support for MCCRF's mission of funding innovative colorectal cancer research.

Throughout the evening, a portion of the proceeds from beer sales, with $1 from each purchase, was donated to MCCRF. In addition, attendees who contributed received extra raffle tickets for a chance at the meat and cheese raffle.

The MCCRF Giving Tuesday Happy Hour was a successful community builder, raising funds for colorectal cancer research and strengthening local connections. Keep an eye out for future events to continue supporting this important cause and thank you to Utepils Brewing for hosting this event!

Because of your generosity we were able to raise over $500,000!

Thanks to the amazing generosity of our sponsors, donors and volunteers, the 2023 MCCRF Gala has raised over $500,000, and checks are still coming in.

A special thank you to our friends at the Colon Cancer Coalition for their $75,000 matching gift. Together we are meeting a critical need for more Colorectal Cancer research. If you missed the program, it’s not too late to watch the recorded live broadcast.

Colorectal Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death. In 2023 the American Cancer Society estimates that 34,380 people in Minnesota will be diagnosed with the disease and 10,280 will die from it. Rates of diagnosis and death are decreasing in people over the age of 50, but increasing at a rate of 1-2% per year in people under 50. Because of this the recommended age to start screening recently dropped from 50 to 45 for people at average risk. Talk to your friends and family and encourage them to get screened. The best screening test is the one that gets done! Five year survival if the disease is caught early is 90%, but only 14% if the disease is stage 4 at diagnosis.

THE TIME FOR SCREENING IS NOW!

And help us in our fight to find better ways to treat, diagnose and prevent colorectal cancer! THE TIME FOR RESEARCH IS NOW!

By supporting the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation tonight, you are moving us ever closer to finding better treatments and a cure to this disease.

With passion and hope,
Sandy Muschenheim
President, Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation

THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING 2022 MCCRF GALA!

THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING 2022 MCCRF GALA!

Thank you to everyone who attended our #MCCRFGala this year! With the support of donors like you, MCCRF will be able to continue supporting the groundbreaking research that is being done in colorectal cancer research.

We are so grateful, because of your generosity we were able to raise over $230,000!

Watch the lifestream program below.

MCCRF Receives $4,106.97 From Mystic Lake Casino Hotel’s Change For The Better Program

Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation is the proud recipient of $4,106.97 from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel’s Change For The Better program. Casino guests generously donated their change to support MCCRF.

Through its Change For The Better program, guests at Mystic Lake can choose to donate to a pre-selected organization when redeeming a ticket. For example, if a guest has a ticket for $11.14 to redeem, the machine allows the guest the option of donating the $0.14 to the selected organization.

We are so grateful to be a selected recipient of Mystic Lake’s Change For The Better program, and especially want to thank all of the generous guests of Mystic Lake who donated to support MCCRF.

Celebrating One of Our Heroes

We lost one of our heroes, Jenna Detko, at the age of 34 to stage 4 Colon Cancer on May 10, 2020.  She and her family were generous in sharing their experiences for a video at our 2020 fundraising gala.  As part of Jenna's Celebration of Life, her family has put together a fundraising auction in her honor benefiting the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation September 23, 2020 - September 26, 2020.  It will feature Jenna's favorite things!

COVID-19 Doesn’t Stop for Colorectal Cancer

17 organizations from across the globe - who individually have made a significant impact in the fight to end colorectal cancer – are joining together in solidarity #atadistance to let their collective communities know that even in the wake of a global pandemic they are unified in and fiercely committed to saving, improving, and extending the lives of millions at risk for or living with the world’s third cancer killer. ‎#InThisTogether‎, #AllInThisTogether

On Tuesday, June 9th, these organizations will collectively celebrate and lift up the over 4.6 million colorectal cancer survivors around the world and reach out to the thousands who are newly diagnosed every day to offer a message of hope.

Colorectal cancer hasn’t stopped for COVID-19. “We know patients and caregivers affected by this disease need our support now more than ever.” Sandy Muschenheim. “And, we are here to help those most affected by CRC navigate cancer in the weeks and months to come.”

Join us for the 2020 Blue Moon Ball

Join us on Saturday, February 22, 2020 for the Blue Moon Ball, a gala event to support the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation (MCCRF).

We are planning a fun and inspiring evening at the Radisson Blu at the Mall of America with a “Meet the Researchers” cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, short program, live auction, music and dancing. Our goal is to fill every available seat so that we can continue this mission: to find better treatments, and one day a cure for this dreaded disease.

Last year Blue Moon Ball donations totaled over $235,000! This money will be used to fund 3 grants to researchers to the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic this year.

Go here to buy tickets: https://one.bidpal.net/bluemoonball

$125 per ticket - $1100 for a table of ten
(reserve your table before January 1, 2020 for $1000)

Discounted tickets ($50) are available for colon and rectal cancer survivors.

Spin with MCCRF - January 19, 2019

Join us as we cycle with Somer K. at The Firm MPLS.  Somer has been with The Firm for over twenty years and you can find her training individuals, small groups, Firm FIT as well as teaching jam-packed classes in the cycle boutique!

Our goal is to fill every bike as we continue our mission to support doctors and researchers who are working to find better treatments and a cure for this terrible disease. Tickets are $35 per spot here : http://bidpal.net/spinmccrf.

Saturday, January 19, 2019
11:00 in the morning
The Firm MPLS
1010 2nd Ave North, MN 55405

Our 2017-2018 Grant Recipients

Mizuho Sato-Dahlman, PhD., for a project titled “Treatment of metastatic colon cancer by cancer stem cell-targeted oncolytic adenovirus”. Dr. Sato-Dahlman is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Masato Yamamoto at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN.  Dr. Sato-Dahlman has degrees in Biological Sciences.  She has broad experience in the area of the molecular and cellular biology working on analysis of signal transduction and protein-protein interaction.  Her more recent work has been on cancer therapy with adenovirus-based therapeutics.

Rentian Wu, PhD., for a project titled “Targeting the mutant KRAS- or BRAF-induced enhancer as an approach to overcome resistance to 5-fluorouracil−based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer”.  Dr. Wu is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Robert B. Diasio at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  Dr. Wu has degrees in Biochemistry with a background in Pharmacogenomics and Cancer Biology.

WITH GRATITUDE

It seems fitting to close Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with a heartfelt thank you. Thanks to the amazing generosity of our guests and donors, so far the Blue Moon Ball has raised  $185,000, and the checks are still coming in. This is a new record and we could not be happier or more grateful.  It is amazing what happens when everyone pitches in. We could not do this without you! We would like give special thank you to those who made the event possible including our sponsors, table hosts, auction donors and volunteers.  

TOGETHER WE WILL FIND A CURE!

Take a look at photos from the 3rd annual MCCRF Blue Moon Ball. Thank you to Jennifer Schaaf of JoJo Photography for photographing the event!

Click here to see all of the photos from the Blue Moon Ball 2018!

Join us for the Blue Moon Ball

Join us on Saturday, March 3, 2018 for the Blue Moon Ball, a gala event to support the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation (MCCRF).

We are planning a fun and inspiring evening at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront in downtown St. Paul with a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner, short program, live auction and dancing.  We would love to fill every available seat so that we can continue this mission: to find better treatments, and one day a cure for this dreaded disease.

Go here to buy tickets: https://one.bidpal.net/bluemoonball

$125 per ticket - $1250 for a table of ten
(reserve your table before February 1, 2018 for $1000)

Discounted tickets ($50) are available for colon and rectal cancer survivors.

MCCRF Receives $3,284.76 From Mystic Lake Casino Hotel’s Change For The Better Program

Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation is the proud recipient of $3,284.76 from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel’s Change For The Better program. Casino guests generously donated their change to support MCCRF from October 5-9, 2017.

Through its Change For The Better program, guests at Mystic Lake can choose to donate to a pre-selected organization when redeeming a ticket. For example, if a guest has a ticket for $11.14 to redeem, the machine allows the guest the option of donating the $0.14 to the selected organization.

We are so grateful to be a selected recipient of Mystic Lake’s Change For The Better program, and especially want to thank all of the generous guests of Mystic Lake who donated to support MCCRF.

Save the Date - March 4, 2017 - Blue Moon Ball

Join us on March 4, 2017 for the Blue Moon Ball, a gala event to support the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation (MCCRF).

We are planning a fun and inspiring evening at the historic St. Paul Hotel including cocktail hour with a silent auction, dinner, a short program, a live auction and dancing.  We would love to fill every available seat so that we can continue this mission, to find better treatments, and maybe one day a cure for this dreaded disease.

2016 Semicolon Soiree Raises $110,000

On March 5, 2016,  220 people attended the Semicolon Soiree, Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Foundation's first fundraising event.  The event was held at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a fun and inspiring evening of humor, camaraderie, support for patients and their friends and families, and incredible generosity.

The evening started with a social hour, followed by stand up with comedian Brenda Elsagher. The program emcee was Angela Davis, news anchor for WCCO news. After dinner and an inspiring program, there was a live auction.  With the help of our wonderful auctioneer, Dan Masloski, from Fladeboe Auctions, we raised $110,000. The money will be donated to research projects at the University of Minnesota, Masonic Cancer Research Center, aimed at improving the survival and quality of life for people with colon and rectal cancer.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped with planning, and to everyone who attended and donated to support our cause!

Thank you to Greg Wanbaugh for photographing the event. 

Join us for the Semicolon Soiree

Join us Saturday, March 5, 2016 for the Semicolon Soiree, a gala event to support the Minnesota Colorectal Cancer Research Fund (MCCRF).

To ensure that ALL donations and sponsorships for the Semicolon Soiree go to fund colorectal cancer research, three families impacted by this disease, are funding the event. We invite you to join us in bringing hope to the almost 140,000 men and women who will be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer this year. 

We are planning a fun and inspiring evening at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul including dinner, a short program, and a live auction. Plus, we’ve limited this inaugural event to 200 people. Please contact us if you would like to attend at mnccrf@gmail.com.