Teb's Troops • About

Mission
To provide hope, help, and support for individuals affected by melanoma. Our strategic goals include:

Raising money for scientific research regarding melanoma treatments and a cure.
Raising public awareness about melanoma and educating the public about prevention strategies.
Connecting melanoma patients and their families and fostering a system of support for those individuals.

How Do We Accomplish Our Goals?
Since its creation in 2006, Teb's Troops has raised over $200,000 to fulfill our mission and accomplish our goals. We have raised these funds in the following ways:

We hold an annual silent auction benefit in Indianapolis.
We hold an annual 5K race in Chicago.
We have held multiple silent auction benefits in Louisville.
We have partnered with local organizations who have generously donated proceeds from charity benefits to Teb’s Troops, and have set up a program whereby people can raise funds for us as they run a marathon or half-marathon.
We designed a bracelet that we sell on our website.
We sell Teb's Troops apparel in a CafePress store.

Additionally, we have joined a national melanoma coalition with a lobbying presence on Capitol Hill.

How Do We Use the Funds We Raise?
We have partnered with two national organizations: the Melanoma Research Foundation and CancerCare. We have used the funds we raise as follows:

Multiple donations to the Melanoma Research Foundation that have directly funded or co-funded three research grants, one of which was named in honor of Tricia Black, who inspired the creation of Teb's Troops.
Donations to CancerCare that founded two online support groups: one for melanoma patients and one for their caregivers.
General donations to both organizations.

How Was it Started?
Teb's Troops was started when Tricia E. Black, or "Teb," was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic melanoma in 2005. At the time of her diagnosis, Teb was 29 years old and living in Indianapolis with her husband and 9-month-old son, Sam. Wanting to rally her "troops" during her war with cancer and desiring to make something positive come from the negative, Teb asked her friends to help her design and sell a bracelet, the proceeds of which would go to organizations that support the fight against melanoma. Although Teb passed in 2006, her legacy lives on.

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