After a lot of reflection, we at Olivia Caldwell Foundation decided to make some changes to our mission. We would like to use this blog post to explain our new mission statement and what our vision is for Olivia Caldwell Foundation and our future.

A lot of changes have been going on at OCF behind the scenes. Brett and Katie Caldwell (Olivia’s parents) moved to Casper, WY about 9 months ago when Brett took a new job here. With this move came the relocation of Olivia Caldwell Foundation’s headquarters from Rawlins to Casper, which meant a change to our Board of Directors and a lot of meetings about our future.

After a lot of prayer and discussion we have decided to change our mission statement to read as follows:

“Our mission is to provide funding for childhood cancer research and programs to improve the lives of children battling cancer. Our primary affiliation is with Children’s Hospital Colorado and the neuro-oncology research team headed by Dr. Nick Foreman.”

So basically, we will still be primarily funding our current research team and the amazing pediatric brain cancer research they do, but we will be broadening our scope. We will now consider the possibility of funding other childhood cancer research projects, in addition to brain cancer. We are also working with Children’s Hospital Colorado to implement these programs:

– Creating a resource booklet with information on all the foundations that can help patients and their families. This will include the contact information, what help can be provided, and how to become considered.

– Hosting trainings for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals that offer Continuing Medical Education Credits on the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer to achieve earlier diagnosis, what to do if childhood cancer is suspected, and how to care for a pediatric oncology patient (such as how to access a mediport and infection precautions).

– And finally, to actually open a pediatric oncology clinic in Casper, WY. This clinic would still be under the care of Children’s Colorado but would allow patients from Wyoming (and possibly some surrounding states) to receive more of their treatments locally, limiting travel.

We hope that you are all as excited about this change-up to our mission as we are! We feel strongly that by continuing to pursue funding research while broadening the scope of our vision we can make an everlasting impact on those whose lives have been rocked by childhood cancer.

If you have any questions, please visit our website at www.oliviacaldwellfoundation.org or feel free to reach out to Katie Caldwell at katie@oliviacaldwellfoundation.org.