This year, about 589,430 US residents are expected to die of cancer – that’s more than 1,600 people a day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. Cancer accounts for nearly 1 out of every 4 deaths in the United States.

Cancer costs us billions of dollars. It also costs us the people we love. Reducing barriers to cancer care is critical in the fight to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer. According to Cancer Facts & Figures 2015, “uninsured patients and those from ethnic minorities are substantially more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, when treatment can be more extensive, more costly, and less successful.”

With this sobering information in mind, Thai Bloom Restaurant is pleased to lend its support to the 2016 Portland Hope Ball. Sponsored by the Portland chapter of the American Cancer Society, this ninth annual, sold-out event will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at the Hidden Creek Polo Club in beautiful West Linn, Oregon. Funds raised at the event will benefit hospitals and research facilities throughout the greater Portland Metropolitan Area.

The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has regional and local offices throughout the country that ensure the organization has a presence in every community. Together with its millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society saves lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

Thai Bloom was a proud contributor to the 2016 Friend Raiser benefitting Friends of the Children (FOTC). Funds raised at the event totalled $1.9 million.

Friends of the Children is an organization that breaks the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. We select the children facing the highest risks and commit to working with those children from kindergarten through graduation. Mentors teach positive values while setting the expectation for each child to become a healthy, productive member of the community.

By giving youth the tools and confidence they need to meet long-term outcomes, the Friends program addresses root causes of generational poverty and marginalization. Achievement of these goals not only has a life-changing effect on graduates of the Friends program, but also has a substantial benefit to society as a whole. For every $1 invested in the organization, more than $7.60 is returned to the community as a result of higher wages earned and lower burdens on social safety nets and the justice system.

FOTC Portland Executive Director Megan Lewis writes:

“Thanks to your generosity, even more of our community’s most vulnerable children will be matched with a salaried, professional Friend. Thanks to you, those children will be able to create brighter futures for themselves by graduating high school and avoiding both the justice system and early parenting. We are deeply grateful for your contribution.”

We’re happy to help!

On Friday, June 17, 2016, Thai Bloom Restaurant was pleased to join the area’s finest food and beverage providers as a sponsor of A Taste of Washington County. This annual fundraiser benefits the Washington County Museum while bringing the community together in celebration of the local palate.

The event began with tastings of innovative wines, spirits and beers crafted locally. It continued with appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts during which Thai Bloom showcased its famed Yellow Curry with Chicken.

Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle received the Heart of Washington County Award at this year’s event. The award goes to “a friend of the museum who has made a positive and significant impact on Washington County, Oregon, and whose character and actions reflect positively on the county.” Mayor Doyle has served the city faithfully for over 20 years as a council member and mayor. He has also supported the museum’s mission to “ignite the imagination and bring to life the diverse cultures that so richly define this remarkable region.”

On Friday, May 13th, the Oregon chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will feature Thai Bloom gift cards at their 2016 Memories in the Making Art Auction & Gala. Funds raised will support programming that explores the use of art as an alternative form of expression for people with dementia. While Alzheimer’s disease brings constant reminders of failures and losses, Memories in the Making® provides a nonjudgmental environment in which participants can express their feelings. With a focus on process rather than product, people with dementia to experience moments of joy and a renewed sense of accomplishment and self-respect.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Founded in 1980 by a group of family caregivers and individuals interested in research, the Association includes our headquarters in Chicago, a public policy office in Washington, D.C., and 80 chapters across the country. The Oregon Chapter is headquartered in Portland and has regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Medford, and Salem.

Currently, an estimated 47 million people worldwide are living with dementia. In the United States alone, more than 5 million have Alzheimer’s, and over 15 million are serving as their caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association addresses this global epidemic by providing education and support to the millions who face dementia every day, while advancing critical research toward methods of treatment, prevention and, ultimately, a cure.