The FamiliesCAN program began helping cancer patients in 2000. The program, based in Los Altos, CA, is funded by the Ronald Whittier Family Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) registered organization. We do not do any fundraising, nor do we receive grants – the program is supported fully by the funds donated by the Whittier family. The Ronald Whittier Family Foundation contributes to a variety of cancer-related causes in the community and supports cancer research.
Ronald Whittier is Chairman of Convera Corporation. In 2000, he retired as Senior Vice President of Intel after thirty years with the company. He was born and raised in San Francisco and is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and Stanford University (Ph.D.). Ron runs a separate educational foundation, Tech Futures (www.techfutures.org).
Jackie Whittier Kubicka is the Founder of FamiliesCAN. The concept for the program developed as a result of Jackie’s experience with her husband Bruce’s cancer treatment. Jackie and Bruce have two school-age children, Anna and Andrew. Jackie, a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and Cornell University, worked for many years in product management and marketing before starting FamiliesCAN. Jackie started the program from her home office a few months before Andrew was born and continues to direct the program from her home in Portola Valley. Jackie sits on the board of Camp Kesem (http://kesem.stanford.edu/), a camp for the children of cancer patients, and developed the “Parents With Cancer” class in 2005 with the Parentsplace in Palo Alto (ParentsPlacePeninsula@JFCS.org).
Eduarda Francisco has served as the FamilesCAN Program Director since 2001 and has worked with Jackie to evolve the program over the years. She handles all day-to-day responsibilities and is the primary contact for patients. In her last position with The American Cancer Society she was the Relay For Life Manager. Previously, she was founder of the Kids Helping Kids program at the Cancer Support and Education Center in Menlo Park.
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