If Only Cancer could "PassOver" Us

On Passover we will read the story of the exodus from Egypt. The whole 10 plagues. The final plague is the death of the first born. The Israelites were warned to paint their doorposts with ram's blood, so that the Angel of Death would "Pass Over" those homes.

If only there were such an elegant method of avoiding the various forms of cancer. There isn't, yet, so we'll just keep working on ways to help those in need.

Pioneers For A Cure has been working a whole year to get to the point where our website now looks good and takes donations, for which songs are gifted as a download. Check it out!

The official Pioneers For A Cure launch is set for Yom Hatzmaut, April 29th, 2009. We've set a goal of raising $100,000 in our first 90 days. May we exceed our expectations!

The Pioneers For A Cure team wishes you and yours a wonderful Passover & Easter Holidays!

3 Years Gone...

Three years ago today my dear Uncle Arie, (Z'L') passed away after his struggle with Pancreatic Cancer. He lived about a year and a half after the diagnosis and ensuing Whipple procedure. That's more than twice as long as most, and we were grateful for each day.

His legacy is huge. He supported many charities and had a policy that anyone who brings themself to ask for help should not be turned away empty handed. Perhaps they weren't completely satisfied, but they always got something for their trouble.

Arie taught me so much. My only Uncle, he taught me how to put on Tefilin as my Bar Mitzvah approached. As an adult, he taught me about business, especially not to waste and how to negotiate respectfully. He encouraged and supported me as I learned how to manage our family business. He once looked at a clock I had made, which demonstrated the stages of building a home. He told me that before I had that clock made there hadn't been such a thing in the world, and now there was. That simple support meant a lot.

This is why Pioneers For A Cure exists. A tribute to a wonderful person who appreciated his family very much. Before the Pioneers project, there might not have been a place for these old songs to raise money for cancer charities selected by each artist. There might not have been iPhone Apps to raise money for cancer charities. Now there are, pending Apple's approval.

Rest well Arie. We're still hard at work, as I sit now at the very desk he used so well for so long.

Inspiration, move me brightly...

Pioneers For A Cure has been gearing up for our launch on Jan., 29th 2009 for a while now. So, is it fair to say we've been inspired by President Barack Obama's Inaugural address? Yes we can, say that.

We've recorded almost 30 songs to fight cancer in less than a year of production. We've built our blogs to illustrate the depth of the task we have undertaken. "Curing cancer won't be easy, but pioneers do what's never been done." This is our motto. This is our aim. Dozens of artists have chosen an array of cancer related organizations to benefit from their talent and time.

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task." (from President Barack Obama's Inaugural address)

We are inspired to help those affected by cancer and to help those researching an end, a cure.
The time is now at hand to move ahead in this micro economy with our micro-donation format.
Thanks to all the people who have already supported our cause, to enable us to get to the starting line, to remain inspired.
("some rise, some fall, some climb to get to Terrapin")

Truly, we have been inspired by Will.i.am's "Yes We Can" video. It remains brilliant. Anyone who thinks it didn't set the pace for Obama at a critical time in a primary he barely outlasted Hillary Clinton in, has already forgotten the recent past election cycle. We don't want to copy, only to produce art at a high level and for a high ideal.