While Al Copeland's Popeyes Famous Chicken and Biscuits changed the way many people ate, his passion for offshore powerboat racing changed the way many people viewed the sport. His screaming-yellow boats were a common sight on Lake Pontchartrain, and his Popeyes/Diet Coke Offshore Racing Team won six National Championships from the 1980's through the early 1990's.

Al Copeland's life was cut short on Easter Sunday, 2008, by merkel cell carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer. This aggressive and deadly cancer strikes only three people per 100,000 each year in the United States. Because this cancer is so rare, it has not received the research focus and attention that other cancers have. Research teams are close to finding a possible blood test and vaccine to detect and prevent this form of cancer, but desperately need funding to make this a reality.

Prior to his death, Al Copeland told his family he wanted to form a foundation that would help fund research for a cure for this cancer. He did not live long enough to fulfill that dream but his children have honored his final wish with the establishment of the Al Copeland Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to contributing money for research to eradicate this rare cancer, as well as creating awareness of this disease and helping individuals in the local community with the financial and emotional burden of battling cancer.

Conquering cancer begins with you. Please help us wipe out merkel cell carcinoma by contributing to the Al Copeland Foundation. All donations are tax deductible. Please make your check payable to:

Al Copeland Foundation
1001 Harimaw Court South
Metairie, LA  70001
Attention:  Alisha Copeland

You can visit the organization’s website at www.alcopelandfoundation.org.