Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Sheryl Weinberg All, Changemaker Spotlights, Featured News / April 8, 2025 In this edition of our Changemaker Spotlight series by the Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation, we connect with Sheryl Weinberg, a formidable force and cancer survivor, now contributing her passion and skills to Cancer Connection in Juneau, Alaska. Founded in 1996, Cancer Connection was birthed from the vision of Mike Miller, a cherished swim coach whose own battle with cancer underscored the desperate need for local support and… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Sheryl Weinberg Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Erin Aklestad All, Changemaker Spotlights, Featured News / February 25, 2025 In this edition of the Aurora Changemaker Spotlight, we feature Erin Aklestad, who’s making waves (and lots of phone calls!) as a contract owner and quality improvement consultant here in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Erin operates a concert of contracts with the State’s Department of Health, spanning from chronic disease management to rural healthcare and preventative screenings. She’s a behind-the-scenes health hero who’s… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Erin Aklestad Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Jacyn DeBaun All, Changemaker Spotlights, Featured News / January 14, 2025 Of all the places the Johnson family from Sweden could have chosen to homestead and settle in the 1800s, it was the lure of the Gold Rush and Fairbanks, Alaska that proved irresistible. Five generations of Alaskans later and with a humongous extended family in the Fairbanks Community, the Johnson family stars aligned to produce one very committed, shining light we’re featuring in this edition… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Jacyn DeBaun Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Caregiver Edition All, Changemaker Spotlights, Featured News / December 23, 2024 Caregivers: The Unsung Heroes of Cancer Care As we bid adieu to 2024 and step into the fresh canvas of the new year, Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation is ready to celebrate those who are the heartbeats behind cancer care. We’re dedicating this Changemaker Spotlight to the caregivers—those unsung heroes who provide the love, support, and strength that cancer patients and their families need on this… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Caregiver Edition Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Roy Browning All, Changemaker Spotlights / November 1, 2024 As a fire chief, Roy Browning risks his life every day. With more than 30 years in fire safety, his career has led him through tough emergencies across the country. In 2019, Chief Browning was running the Command Post for a 170,000-acre wildfire on the Kenai Peninsula. While fighting the Swan Lake fire, those close to him were concerned about an unusual spot on his… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Roy Browning Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Mark Dixson All, Changemaker Spotlights / September 12, 2024 On Sundays, you can find one of the only prostate cancer support groups in the state sitting down to talk via Zoom. Mark Dixson encountered the group “Us TOO” in 2021 after he’d won his battle with prostate cancer. Now, he’s an active member with one big piece of advice for men beginning the same journey: “Don’t be like Mark.” Early detection can change the… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Mark Dixson Read More
AIOF x ASYMCA Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Sarah Riffer All, Changemaker Spotlights / August 20, 2024 With frequent moves to new duty stations, military members and their families often arrive at a new location without a traditional support network of friends and family. That’s where the @Armed Services YMCA of Alaska steps in, addressing this issue head-on and providing what Executive Director Sarah Riffer calls wraparound services. Military personnel, especially airmen and women, face a disproportionate risk of cancer, according to… AIOF x ASYMCA Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Sarah Riffer Read More
Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Susie Smith Hospice of Anchorage All, Changemaker Spotlights / June 21, 2024 Death is a complicated process, says Susie Smith, executive director of the nonprofit @Hospice of Anchorage. Decision making becomes overwhelming. People lose the faculties they had their whole lives. “If you don’t have someone advocating for your needs outside of your medical team, that can feel very desolate.” Hospice of Anchorage, one of AIOF’s 2024 grantees, helps bridge that gap for patients, providing essential non-medical… Aurora Changemaker Spotlight: Susie Smith Hospice of Anchorage Read More
