changing lives:
oUR miSSION statement
The Elizabeth L. Joksimovic Foundation (Beth’s Fund) is dedicated to reducing the incidence of gastric cancers, improving the treatments available to treat this devastating illness, and supporting the nurses and families who care for individuals who have been diagnosed.
The Foundation aims to reduce the frequency of gastric cancer by supporting efforts toward prevention and early intervention through testing and identification of biomarkers that improve efforts to detect this often silent and insidious disease thus making it possible to intervene earlier in the progression of the cancer when treatments are much more effective. A second initiative will help fund clinical research to improve therapies that today include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Lastly, the Foundation will support nurses and families as they care for patients and loved ones who are undergoing treatments. The ELJ Foundation will accomplish these goals by making annual contributions to individuals and organizations committed to improving the quality of life for those who battle, as Beth did, in their fight for life against this disease.
HPHS scholarships
From 2010 – 2022, the foundation presented a scholarship to a graduating senior girl from Highland Park High School who, like Beth, was attending the University of Illinois the next fall. Criteria for the scholarship also included academic need and time spent working or volunteering during high school. Past recipients have gone into social work, education and corporate finance.
Rush Medical center
Beth’s family and friends dedicated an oncology treatment room in the cancer unit at Rush Medical Center in her name shortly after she passed in 2006. Beth spent the majority of her working career in the philanthropy and development office at Rush and was extremely proud of the work she did for the hospital. In turn, we wanted to give back to the place and people she loved to work with.
© 2026 ELJ Foundation | bethsfund@gmail.com | Facebook: Elizabeth-L-Joksimovic-Foundation
Elizabeth L. Joksimovic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the IRS code. Our EIN is 20-5704412