USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

USC Norris is a leader in cancer research, with more than 200 members investigating the complex origins and progression of cancer, developing prevention strategies and searching for cures.

USC Norris is part of the Keck School of Medicine and is designated by the National Cancer Institute as one of the nation’s 41 comprehensive cancer centers.

But what does any of that mean to the average Joe?

On top of the institutional language, there’s a LOT of medical lingo and science to wade through for each new discovery/treatment/experiment.

For me, the first challenge in writing these fundraising letters is to interview the doctors—and try to understand what they are talking about. I have to keep asking questions and more questions until I understand it well enough to synthesize and simplify their medical research into layman’s terms.

For example, is there is a quality-of-life-benefit to the patient? Such as:

“If we can figure out what kinds of chemo work, or don’t work, for each patient it could save you from going through unnecessary chemo treatments.”

The next step is finding the emotional connection to the donor. That comes by showing the impact this research has had on a specific person or family.

Of course, the best way to do that is by telling a real person’s story! If you can’t get a story you have to extrapolate out, get the donor to imagine how it could impact her family.

Either way, you can always point out how the donors support of this kind of research may one day help someone the donor loves.