Nearly a century ago, small groups of women and men united to help City of Hope bring care and dignity to people suffering from tuberculosis. These first local chapters reached out nationwide to like-minded people in their effort to support City of Hope in the fight against disease.

Today, chapters — dedicated groups of individual volunteers who raise millions of dollars to advance innovative research, treatment and education programs — remain a critical part of City of Hope’s fundraising efforts.

Philadelphia — Robyn Marino’s family started the South Jersey Hope Chapter when she was a child, so she has supported City of Hope as long as she can remember. But she felt it was time to get her friends and colleagues involved with the cause, too, so with help from City of Hope’s Philadelphia regional office, the 33-year-old launched Philly for Hope, the first chapter for professionals in Center City — Philadelphia’s downtown — in March 2011.

In its first year, chapter members attracted $60,000 in foundation grants for City of Hope. Marino, the chapter president, said Philly for Hope will focus on supporting regional and awareness events and is in the process of building a signature event. — Michele DiVeterano

Palm Springs, Calif. — More than 800 hikers blazed rocky trails in support of women’s cancer research and treatment on March 4. Hosted by the Desert Women’s Council, the hike took place in the beautiful Indian Canyons area of Palm Springs, Calif., and raised more than $100,000.

Hike4Hope has raised more than $2 million since its beginning and would be impossible without support from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the leaders of the Coachella Valley and Desert Trails Hiking Clubs, said Eileen Stern, president of the Desert Women’s Council. For the past 14 years the groups have safely led participants along the trails to make Hike4Hope a continuing success.

The 15th annual Hike4Hope event in 2013 will honor Richard Milanovich, tribal chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, who lost his battle to cancer on March 11, just days after the hike. — Debbie Long

Miami — Saro Armenian, D.O., M.P.H., assistant professor in the departments of Pediatrics and Population Sciences and medical director of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program, spoke about research and treatment at City of Hope to more than 100 Florida donors, potential donors and chapter members during two events in March.

At an outreach dinner for Miami residents on March 15, Armenian and other guests heard personal City of Hope stories from members of the Phyllis Dropkin Chapter, while a brunch on March 16 paid tribute to new donors of the Legacy of Hope Society for their gifts totaling more than $200,000.
— Tanishia Johnson

Lake Worth, Fla. — Herbert B. Weiss and his wife, Sandra Weiss, opened their home in Lake Worth, Fla., in February to the Power of Hope when they hosted speaker Michael A. Friedman, M.D., president, chief executive officer and comprehensive cancer center director. Friedman, who is also the Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director’s Distinguished Chair, spoke to current major donors and new supporters about City of Hope’s distinguished standing among U.S. hospitals.

Also at the reception was Kathleen Kane, City of Hope’s chief philanthropy and external relations officer, whose discussion brought a new depth to a word so often used: Hope. Tony Markel, Power of Hope campaign chair, passionately told attendees that “now is the time” to find cures to life-threatening diseases.

He invited everyone at the event to join him in reaching the campaign goal of $1 billion, and they responded with more than $200,000 in new gifts for City of Hope. — Tanishia Johnson

Irvine, Calif. — No glittering disco ball turned above this dance crowd — the only things twirling at the sixth annual Lindy Hop for Hope were the guys and gals strutting their stuff. Hundreds of swing dancers raised more than $124,000 for City of Hope at the November 2011 event, held at a 24-Hour-Fitness gym in Irvine, Calif.

Several live bands and DJs donated their time to provide music for more than 500 dancers throughout the 24-hour cancer dance-a-thon. Local news channels carried live coverage of the event, including KTLA 5, which had dancers in the studio throughout its morning news program.

The cancer dance-a-thon is put on by City of Hope’s Pathways to Hope Chapter. Chapter President Rona Reeves and her sister, Lisa Vargas, chapter member and breast cancer survivor, are proud of the event’s popularity.

Dance-a-thon organizers Shesha and Nikki Marvin, owners of the Atomic Ballroom dance studios in Irvine and Placentia, started the cancer dance-a-thon in 2005. The husband-and-wife team hopes to raise a quarter of a million dollars this year.

“My wife, Nikki, and I started the Lindy Hop for Hope because we thought it would be even more fun to dance for 24 hours than to walk for 24 hours,” said Shesha Marvin. “2012 is our ‘million dollar year’ as we try to meet a cumulative goal of $1 million for City of Hope.”

For more information about the next Lindy Hop for Hope, visit the event’s website at www.danceathon.org. — Laurie Bellman

Robyn Mack and Alex Tomko strut their stuff during the dance-a-thon.

PHOTOS: LEON ROLAND; ALBERT BARG PHOTOGRAPHY; ANA P. GUTIERREZ / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER