the

FOUNDATION

THE MISSION:

To share Kristen’s story with the world and inspire concrete action to eradicate HPV-caused cancers. Our mission is to use education and outreach to encourage cancer screening, to see people choosing vaccination, and to create a community of support and guidance for those affected by HPV. HPV-caused cancers are preventable and it is our mission to ensure no one suffers the same fate as our Kristen

E

V

E

EDUCATE & SCREEN.

VACCINATE.

ERADICATE.

E

V

E

EDUCATE & SCREEN.

VACCINATE.

ERADICATE.

OUR GOALS

EDUCATE

We want to introduce Kristen to the world and use her voice to educate women and men about HPV and the cancers it causes, the ability to screen for HPV through PAP smears and HPV tests, and the HPV vaccines.

SCREEN

Until the majority of us have been vaccinated, proper screening is crucial for catching abnormalities on the cervix in time to prevent and treat cancer. We want to see an increase in regular screenings in all ages.

VACCINATE

Vaccination is the easiest way to prevent the spread of HPV. If we can increase vaccination rates in Indiana and other states, we will see a substantial reduction in HPV-caused cancers.

ERADICATE

Armed with accurate information, we want people to take concrete steps towards eliminating this virus — including vaccinating themselves and their children, getting screened for HPV, talking to friends and family about this issue, and inspiring others to action.

THE FOUNDING

After Kristen’s death, Brenda and I felt the need to share her story. We kept coming back to the fact that this tragedy — the HPV, the cancer, the pain and ultimately her death — it was all preventable. We wrote Love, Kristen to tell her story, but it wasn’t enough. We needed to continue the mission to educate our community about this virus and the simple but effective things we can do to save lives. About a year after we published the book, we created the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation. EVE stands for Educate & Screen, Vaccinate and Eradicate. Since then we have been the recipient of the Cancer Control Champion and the Immunization Innovator Awards in Indiana. The Indiana and California Departments of Health have used Kristen’s Story in their HPV immunization flyers and we will continue to find ways to make a difference.

THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN

Ruemu E. Birhiray, MD – Hematology/Oncology

Ruemu E. Birhiray, MD is a physician in medical oncology, hematology, and hematopoietic cell transplantation at Hematology-Oncology of Indiana. He received his medical degree from the University of Benin in Benin City, Nigeria. After completing his internal medicine residency at Columbus Hospital in Chicago, he was a postgraduate fellow in bone marrow transplant at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Birhiray is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Medical Association. He has published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology, Leukemia, and Therapeutic Aphaeresis.

Sydney Ehmke – MSN, MBA, FNP

Syd is the Vice President of Primary Care at Aspire Indiana Health. She has over 25 years of experience with progressive management and advanced practice nursing. Her expertise is in chronic care management, substance abuse treatment with X waiver, occupational health, employer based clinics, program and work flow development, grants, and communication. Syd is a visionary leader who improves processes.

Kirk Forbes – MBA

Kirk is the father of Kristen Forbes and Co-Founder of the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation. Kirk received his MBA and undergraduate degrees at Purdue University. He is a retired Netjets pilot with 18 years of experience as a commercial pilot and 27 years in sales management and business ownership.

Brenda Forbes

Brenda is the mother of Kristen Forbes and Co-Founder of the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation. She is a volunteer leader and trainer for Girl Scouts of USA. Her education includes interior design and early childhood education at Purdue University. She has 5 years retail management experience, 10 years in accounting and 20 years as a domestic engineer.

Eric Forbes – MBA

Eric is the brother of Kristen and a founding board member of the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation. He is employed with Zillow Group and currently lives in Irvine, CA. Eric received both his bachelor’s in management as well as his MBA from Purdue University. Eric has significant experience in contract negotiations, vendor risk management, project management, and professional networking.

Michael J. Callahan, MD – Gynecologic Oncology

Michael Callahan, MD is a gynecologic oncologist with Ascension Medical Group. He graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed residency in Indianapolis and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston.

He belongs to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, and the Indiana State Medical Association. Dr. Callahan has been published and contributed to publications in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, and Gynecologic Oncology.

Karen Hopkins – MBA

Karen is the business manager of the Solus Center in Indianapolis. She received her MBA degree from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business. Karen has over 16 years experience in the medical industry. She is a member of the Business Marketing Association and Central Indiana Association for the Society of Training and Development.

Brent Lindvall – BS Mgmt

Brent is the Treasurer of World Gospel Mission (WGM). His education is from Purdue University with a degree in Management, Accounting and Finance. He has 20 years of experience in the medical industry including accounting and finance. His last 13 years have focused on a major missionary organization’s financial management and employee benefits.

Maroline Martinez Ritter – MS Nursing

Maroline is retired from previous positions in behavior health medicine. She earned her BS and MS degrees in Nursing at the Indiana University School of Nursing. Maroline has 30 years experience in the medical industry and is certified in Managed Care Nursing and as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. She is published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. She has partnered with collegiate counterparts on community Hispanic research and has educated Hispanic population on stress management and developing strong verbal communication skills.

THE SUPPORT

ADVISORS

Ward Degler

Gary Warren

WEBSITE

Jamie Forbes

Jamie L Forbes Designs