In March 2013, Craig Phinney retired after 25 years of service from the Ankeny (Iowa) Police Department as a Police Officer and 35 years of law enforcement service in Iowa. In September 2009, Phinney retired from the United States Air Force as a Law Enforcement Specialist after serving 24 years.
More importantly, Craig is a cancer victor. In March 2009, Phinney was told his professional career was over when he was diagnosed with stage 2 colorectal cancer. Today, Craig is cancer free.
Following the full removal of his colon and after two separate surgeries, complications and four months of recovery, he fought back, returning to full law enforcement duty four weeks earlier than his medical team expected.
During his cancer recovery, Phinney and his wife Shirley saw
first-hand the struggles and the overwhelming changes cancer
families were enduring. Because of their law enforcement
experience and a strong passion for assisting those in need,
the Phinney founded Cops Against Cancer, a 501 c (3) Non - Profit Organization in 2010. Their mission of “protecting and
serving” those in need and to improve the quality of life of
cancer patients and their families was an easy decision for
the Phinney’s to make.
As a values-focused organization, Cops Against Cancer is
built on the pillars of faith, hope, motivation, and recovery
in restoring the lives of cancer patients and their families.
Cops Against Cancer provides our clients one-on-one,
family and group support transition and life purpose coaching,
providing navigation and advocacy resource referrals, grief
and loss coaching, survivor to survivor recovery programs,
financial assistance, and educational speaking forums. All of this
can extend the quality of living for those involved in the fight.
In September, 2019, Executive Director Craig Phinney was diagnosed with
stage 4 colorectal and abdominal cancer. Director Phiney began chemo treatments in November, which caused hospitalization until April 2020. SInce June 2019, DIrector Phinney has spent over 180 days hospitalized with various surgeries, complications, infections and near death experiences.
Director Phinney is currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment and is responding is a very positive and encouraging manner.
February 2020, the Board of Directors of the Cops Against Cancer voted to review operational functions of the organization on a case by case basis.