The Play It Forward Mission is to raise awareness about rare cancer in our community and help raise money to accelerate progress in rare cancer research, bringing new and better treatment options and hope for the individuals and families.

This is also personal. Many of you know my husband, Matthew Alford. He has been battling a rare form of cancer for over 9 years now. He’s undergone six surgeries, four types of chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The cancer is metastatic and continues to come back. To say that these past nine years have been stressful and energy depleting is putting it mildly. Our son Trout has known his dad to have cancer more than not. Throughout this journey, however, our family continues to adventure, laugh, love, and hope for a long future together. But we need real solutions, and we need it now.

We are choosing to raise funds for research at Memorial Sloan Kettering and hope you’ll consider joining the cause and making a donation. We are also hosting two super fun community events in Steamboat Springs this summer!

• Saturday, August 6th:  Pickleball Shootout at the Steamboat Tennis & Pickleball Center including an After Player Party. $50 Registration will be taken at steamboattennisandpickleball.com / Raise $500 in donations | due on event day
• Sunday, August 7th: Anytime-That-Day Bike event hosted by Manic. Registration information coming soon!

Many of the most important breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment have been brought to light at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and none of that progress would have been possible without support from people like you and me.

In fact, much of the most promising new research can’t even begin without donations from individuals; in most cases, government funds become possible only after our support funds the early work that demonstrates real potential.

Too many of us know people who have faced a cancer diagnosis, and sometimes it's hard to know how we can make a difference. One of the most effective ways to help is to make sure the crucial work being done at Memorial Sloan Kettering continues to have the support that will drive it forward.  I’ve started Play It Forward so I can, not only do my part, but get our community involved to do theirs.

When the next new breakthrough is announced, I want to know that I have been a part of making it happen, and it would mean that much more to me if you would join me in the effort so that we can say that we helped make it happen.  Every dollar counts, and we hope you will be as generous as you can.

Thank you!