Our Mission

The Connecticut Challenge, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) public charity. The mission of the Connecticut Challenge is to empower cancer survivors to live longer, happier, healthier lives, by creating and funding programs, offering credible resources, and building a community of support.

Co-Founders John Ragland & Jeff Keith

Our History

It started with two friends. Jeff Keith is a pediatric cancer survivor, athlete and long-time fundraiser for cancer research. John Ragland is a serious cyclist and business entrepreneur.

In January, 2005, Jeff had visited the David B. Perini Quality of Life Clinic at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston – a clinic for pediatric cancer survivors – and felt strongly that adult cancer survivors needed access to the same type of resource in Connecticut. He approached, Dr. Richard Edelson, Director of Yale Cancer Center, with the proposition to fund a survivorship clinic at the newly planned Yale Cancer Center facility in New Haven. Dr. Edelson and his colleagues at Yale were very enthusiastic about the concept and signed on.

Jeff and John then sat down in April 2005 to create the organization and the event that would become the Connecticut Challenge. Thousands of volunteer hours later the first Connecticut Challenge took place on August 28th, 2005. All participants involved were unanimous in their praise and their pledges of continued support for the event.

The vision of the Connecticut Challenge has expanded since 2005. Now, instead of expecting cancer survivors to travel to one location, the organization is broadening its support for hospitals and community organizations across the state so that survivors can receive the unique care they need right in their local community.