Liz & Jim Van Tassel

For nearly three decades, hope generated by research drove Mary Beth Gadus’ positive outlook. She lived with breast cancer for more than 27 years and inspired many with her message: Research helps women with breast cancer live longer, healthier lives. 

Her passion for research led her to start 100 Voices of Hope in 2008 at the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center by asking her friends, family and fellow survivors to make gifts and help her raise $100,000 annually to fund the promising ideas of Indiana University researchers at the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research. 

100 Voices of Hope funds these “out-of-the-box” ideas; the kind of high-risk, high-reward concepts that typically require entrepreneurial funding. Projects, or “hunches,” are developed annually by IU researchers. Individual Voices vote to fund the winning idea. 

Twelve years later, more than $2 million has been raised and 21 hunches have been funded. In addition, the promising work made possible by 100 Voices of Hope hunches has led to more than $9 million in additional funding from national grants for breast cancer. That’s quite a return on investment! To learn more visit: www.cancer.iu.edu/100voices. 

Help Mary Beth’s voice continue to resonate. Join our extraordinary group of everyday people funding research to stop metastatic breast cancer. 

Let us hear from you!

With a Wisper. Gifts of any amount are welcome and can be made in honor or memory of a loved one. 

With a Voice. Gifts of $1,000 can be made by a single donor or multiple whispers. Contributions at this level allow the donor(s) to cast a vote for which hunch they would like funded in the next year. 

With a Shout. Want to change the course of metastatic breast cancer research? Gifts of more than $1,000 increase the chances for our researchers to make lifesaving discoveries.

Contact Ashleigh Wahl at [email protected] or (317) 278-5313 to learn more.