Cancer Connection is a grass-roots, nonprofit organization that assists Southeast Alaskans living with cancer, their families, and support systems. Cancer Connection sponsors education programs and awareness events with the intent of prevention and early detection of cancer. Stay up to date with events happening in the Cancer Connection community. From Board Meetings to Support Groups, to community events, you’ll find it all here. Support groups for cancer survivors are held every third Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 pm. Contact us for more information! (907)796-2273 or admin@cancerconnectionak.org

As of April 7, 2026, this episode of Capital Chat follows the continuing journey of Cade Jobsis and his family as they navigate hope, uncertainty, and cutting-edge science in the fight against a rare disease.

After a powerful, Juneau community-driven fundraising effort raised $1.15 million to cover hospital and regulatory costs, Cade was selected for a Phase 3 clinical trial in Dallas—an important and final step before potential FDA approval. Now nearly five years old, Cade is preparing to receive an experimental gene therapy known as Melpida, designed to address SPG50, a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disorder he was diagnosed with two years ago.

In this episode, Cade’s mom, Emma Jobsis, shares what the past months have looked like—from traveling between Alaska and Texas, to undergoing extensive medical screenings, to the emotional reality of waiting for treatment day.

Friends of Jensen-Olson Arboretum is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the projects and programs of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum, Southeast Alaska’s outstanding public garden and national primrose collection.

Caroline Jensen donated the historical arboretum property at 23-mile Glacier Highway to the City and Borough of Juneau. The arboretum was opened to the public in 2007 and has evolved into a garden destination and a living laboratory featuring over 1200 native and cultivated species.

The arboretum embodies Caroline’s vision of a garden that inspires learning in horticulture, natural sciences, and landscaping while preserving its beauty for aesthetic enjoyment and maintaining the historical and cultural context. Caroline’s garden is protected by a conservation easement held by the Southeast Alaska Land Trust so that her garden will remain for future generations to enjoy its beauty.