Gala of Hope Awards Grant to Maple Tree Cancer Alliance

Gala of Hope Foundation awarded Maple Tree Cancer Alliance an $82,000 grant to underwrite its pilot to transition cancer survivors to community fitness programs. These programs will be led by instructors certified by Maple Tree to work with cancer survivors. This helps Maple Tree complete a full four-phase program, accessing patients upon diagnosis, serving them through treatment, and leading them into a lifetime of exercise as cancer survivors.   

JEFF BROCK - Executive Director, Gala of Hope Foundation

 “In 2015 we began partnering with Maple Tree to serve patients in the Dayton region, and today they serve patients in most of the region’s cancer centers, about 2,000 annually. Now we help them fully round out their program to ‘graduate’ cancer survivors from their inpatient care to select fitness centers that can carry on their exercise oncology program,” shared Jeff Brock, Executive Director. “This grant will help pilot the first 200 patients in this transition, document the results, and solidify the model to continue going forward for hundreds, if not thousands, more in the Dayton region.” 

KAREN WONDERS - CEO, Maple Tree Cancer Alliance

Karen Wonders, CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, founded in Dayton, shared, “We are so thankful for our friends at Gala of Hope. Their dedication to the cancer community in Dayton has enabled us to serve thousands of patients locally. This grant now helps assure comprehensive and complete care to cancer patients, starting from their diagnosis and continuing through the totality of their remission--the entire trajectory of their cancer journey!” Tiffany Kellner, Gala’s Board President, said, "Gala ultimately wants to send cancer into the sunset, and for survivors in this Maple Tree program, it makes it more of a reality for them.” 

TIFFANY KELLNER - Board President, Gala of Hope Foundation

Research shows that maintaining an active lifestyle during remission can help reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence. Often after completing treatment and entering remission, patients are left to exercise on their own during a vulnerable time when they must navigate a new normal marked by fear of recurrence and isolation. Further, these individuals still need specialized support provided by trained and credentialed exercise trainers. Gala of Hope wishes to help extend survivorship for every cancer patient.  “Gala and Maple Tree really birthed exercise oncology in Dayton, and soon Maple Tree spread nationally and internationally. We now help bring their program to full maturity, helping reduce reoccurring cancer. Dayton cancer survivors will be the first to experience this final piece of exercise oncology, continuing Dayton’s tradition as the city of innovation,” shared Brock.