Jeanne Hersh

Fundraising to Fight Women's Cancer

Meet Jeanne Hersh, a top individual fundraiser for the 17th Annual EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women Los Angeles and a proud member of the UCLA Fights Women's Cancer team. Jeanne has participated in the run/walk since 2002 and was one of the top four individual fundraisers every year between 2004-2014.

In 2010, she joined the UCLA Fights Women's Cancer team and raised over $21,000! Her decision to join the team was based on her dedication to UCLA and her appreciation for the care she received from Dr. John Glaspy and his staff at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC).

“When he treated me for breast cancer in 2000, I realized how devastating this disease is and that there is no cure. Learning that the Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program at the JCCC was the primary beneficiary of the Revlon Run/Walk, I wanted to help,” said Jeanne.

Her husband, Richard Hersh, is a Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation Board Member, so they share in their dedication to the cause.

Jeanne achieved her fundraising success by utilizing a long list of names, addresses and email addresses from family and friends, both in and out of state, including many of her husband’s colleagues and clients. Everyone on her list receives a donation request letter along with a self-addressed envelope.

When she first began fundraising she would visit every house on her street and place a note introducing herself and requesting a donation along with a self-addressed envelope in every mailbox. She received a great response and now includes those supporters on her list every year.

“For every donation I receive, I send a personal thank you note. If the donation is made online, I send a thank you email,” said Jeanne.

She tracks all the names and their donations so she can follow-up with people. Her daughters, Denise and Stephanie, also include her bib number on their MySpace and Facebook pages so their friends can support her.

“It is very gratifying for me to work hard for this cause and to see the funds being put to such incredible use by researchers like Dr. Dennis Slamon at the JCCC,” said Jeanne. “My favorite part of participating in the EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women is the very beginning, when the starting gun goes off and all the confetti falls and my daughters and husband are with me as we start our run. When I see the thousands of people and read their placards, I see how cancer has affected them and realize why I am doing this."