Impact - The Jimmy Fund

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Dear Friends,
This May, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute celebrated
the 60th anniversary of the Jimmy Fund and
the enormous impact that this community of
supporters has had on the fight against cancer
over the years. In 1948, pediatric cancers were
almost universally fatal. Today the survival rate
is 75 percent, and as high as 90 percent for some
forms of the disease. Adult survival rates also continue to rise thanks to
breakthroughs such as the recently developed “smart” drug, Gleevec®. Gifts
to the Jimmy Fund have helped to make these positive statistics possible.
It is this consistent stream of support that propels new generations of
bold research endeavors, such as the creation of a cancer-signaling roadmap,
as well as innovative patient care initiatives like the Sibling Program, both
of which carry the potential to improve quality of life for our patients and
their families.
In this issue of Impact, we highlight these advances and the generosity
of the event participants, corporate sponsors, volunteers, and individual
friends who make them possible.
One such example is the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, which once
again displayed its enormous commitment to accelerating the Institute’s
mission as more than 5,500 cyclists, 2,600 volunteers, and numerous
sponsor organizations worked together to help the bike-a-thon raise an
anticipated $34 million for the Jimmy Fund. We thank each and every one
of them for their incredible energy and dedication to this wonderful event!
Many of you showed your support in the supermarket aisles at
Stop & Shop this spring and summer by participating in the Triple Winner
Game program. This long-running promotion benefits Dana-Farber’s Stop
& Shop Family Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinic and the Stop & Shop Family
Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Outcomes Clinic. With more than two million
customers raising $2.5 million, Stop & Shop Supermarket Company
exemplifies the impact that a corporate sponsor can have in the fight
against cancer.
As a volunteer organization, the Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
has made an incredible commitment to our lifesaving mission for more
than 30 years. We are delighted by this year’s signature fundraiser “Surprise
Party,” held May 30, which resulted in over 400 people enjoying an evening
of surprises and raising a wonderful $1 million to fuel groundbreaking
research, clinical trials, and to support community outreach programs at
Dana-Farber.
Demonstrating the value of individual support, Steven and Michele
Kirsch’s terrific $1 million gift not only bolsters the work of Irene Ghobrial,
MD, who is making critical research advancements in Waldenström’s
macroglobulinemia, but also supports our $1 billion goal for Mission
Possible: The Dana-Farber Campaign to Conquer Cancer. The Kirsches’
generosity highlights the absolute necessity of private philanthropy to
further research in specific disease areas, and we thank them for working to
change the outlook for those suffering from this rare disease.
These are just a few of the numerous ways in which our loyal community
is helping to strengthen our future and build upon our momentum to
conquer cancer. And for that, we thank you all.
Sincerely,
Susan S. Paresky
Senior Vice President for Development
Siblings coping with cancer
aided by foundation grant
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, his or her entire family often
struggles to cope with this new reality. Dana-Farber’s Sibling Program
provides critical support to brothers and sisters of cancer patients
whose daily lives are often heavily affected by their siblings’ diagnosis and
treatment, leaving them prone to depression, anxiety, and school-related problems.
Recognizing the importance of this landmark psychosocial initiative, which
received seed funding through the Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
for several years, the Lawrence J. and Anne Rubenstein Charitable Foundation
recently gave $261,000 to expand and enhance the program.
“This grant will provide additional services, including education, counseling,
and special activities, all of which will help ease the stress these children often
face,” said Foundation Trustee Steven Perlmutter, also a Dana-Farber trustee.
The Rubenstein Foundation’s grant will enable siblings of young cancer patients to receive critical
emotional and psychological support as they cope with their brother’s or sister’s diagnosis.
A part of DFCI’s Division of Pediatric Psychosocial Services, the Sibling
Program—which is considered a national model for similar programs across the
country—provides psychosocial support to a sibling from the beginning of his
or her brother’s or sister’s diagnosis, continuing through either survivorship or
bereavement. These services include psychological and emotional assessments, as
well as events and activities in which the children can interact with others facing
similar situations.
Research has shown that the stress levels in siblings of cancer patients is often
equal to that of the ill child, and activities that foster bonding among these
siblings help to reduce stress and other emotional and social issues.
“This grant provides a solid, critical base for the program to expand and reach
even more individuals,” said Deborah Bond Berk, LICSW, coordinator of the
Sibling Program. “These children, whose lives are turned upside down, will be
completely supported through the generosity of the Rubenstein Foundation.”
Added DFCI’s Chief of Staff Stephen E. Sallan, MD, “It’s my pleasure to
express the Institute’s long-term support for our Sibling Program, an initiative that
poignantly represents Dana-Farber’s patient-family centered care mission.”n
Help Dana-Farber make
its mission possible
Be a part of Dana-Farber’s campaign to conquer cancer. Contact
Julia Parrillo, Assistant Vice President, Campaign and Development,
at 617-632-6573 or julia_parrillo@dfci.harvard.edu to learn how.
dana-farber.org/campaign
Golfers primed to notch another hole in one
Jimmy Fund Golf charged into its 26th year with the same drive that made
last season a landmark year for fundraising. By the end of July, the program’s
dedicated tournament organizers, volunteers, and participants had already
raised $3.1 million toward its more than $7 million goal in support of research
and patient care initiatives at Dana-Farber.
Left to right: Tournament Co-chairs Stuart and Maxine Rosenthal, Matt Langweber, Ellie Svenson, Karen
Langweber, Laraine Levy, and Helene and Mark Lapman celebrate the success of the John R. Svenson Classic.
On June 2, the John R. Svenson Classic, a new addition to Jimmy Fund Golf
in 2008, advanced DFCI’s crusade against cancer by raising $250,000. Held at the
Belmont Country Club in Belmont, Mass., the tournament honored the memory of
John R. Svenson, a founder of the real estate development company the Abbey Group
and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, who succumbed to cancer in July 2007.
“John was extremely generous and always emphasized the importance of giving
back to others,” said Svenson’s wife, Ellie. “This tournament serves as a means for
us to remember him while passing on his message.”
Golfers also gave their time and energy at the 22nd annual Mark R. Ungerer
Driving for the Cure Memorial Golf Tournament, held July 13 and 14 at The
International in Bolton, Mass. This year’s tournament, co-chaired by Jim Coghlin
Sr. and Tom Mack and coordinated by Susan Cyr, tallied nearly $530,000, which
is earmarked to support cancer research for adolescent and young adult patients
between the ages of 15 and 40. The event also celebrated the lives of the late Mark
R. Ungerer, one of three original organizers of the tournament, and his son, David,
who also passed away from cancer.
“ Running a tournament allows you to get to know your
colleagues and business partners outside of your normal
business practice. It’s also a great team-building experience.
The satisfaction you get when you hand over a check to
such a worthwhile organization for such a great cause is
unparalleled. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience.”
— MICHAEL MCKNIGHT
Vice President of Construction, Stop & Shop
Stop & Shop Donovan/Carlson Jimmy Fund Golf Classic
Launched in 1992
On June 23, golfers took to the fairways to fight leukemia at the Kristin Fund
Leukemia Foundation Golf Tournament. Held at the Oak Hill Country Club
in Fitchburg, Mass., the tournament raised more than $100,000 in support of
Richard Stone, MD, director of the Adult Acute Leukemia Program at DFCI,
while paying tribute to Kristin Amico Sesselman, who passed away from leukemia
in July 2000.
A day of triumphs
Three tournaments made another tremendous impact in Dana-Farber’s fight
against cancer by collectively raising an astounding $875,000 in one day.
On June 16, the 29th annual Jimmy Fund Golf Tournament/Jeffrey Vinick
Memorial contributed to the momentum by tallying more than $500,000.
Coordinated by the Jimmy Fund Council of Western Massachusetts and a
committee of more than 50
key Dana-Farber supporters,
including Institute Trustees
Barbara and James Sadowsky,
the event was played on five
separate courses across Western
Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The Jimmy Fund Players
Tournament, hosted by Institute
Trustees Paul Severino, Mike
Champa, and Jim Dow, carried
the momentum, bringing in
more than $200,000 for DFCI’s
High-Tech Multidisciplinary
Research Fund, which
provides scientists with access
to sophisticated technology
that increases the speed and Tom Mack (left) and Jim Coghlin Sr. served as co-chairs at the 22nd
annual Mark R. Ungerer Driving for the Cure Memorial Golf Tournament.
accuracy of their work.
At the Black Rock Country
Club in Hingham, Mass., the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston’s Jimmy
Fund/UGL-Unicco Golf & Tennis Classic drove it all home by raising more than
$150,000 to further the Institute’s lifesaving mission.
With solid efforts through its season’s midway point, Jimmy Fund Golf is
poised to score yet another record-breaking year in its storied history.
“Our tournament directors and volunteers and their dedication and
commitment were truly the driving force behind this strong start,” said Jimmy
Fund Golf Director Nancy Rowe. “Their compassion for others and love of the
game is making a difference in the lives of cancer patients everywhere.”n
MAKE BEATING CANCER
YOUR BUSINESS
Start a corporate Jimmy Fund Golf tournament.
Expand your business network, reward your employees, and make new contacts.
Visit jimmyfundgolf.org or contact Tim Barry at 866-521-GOLF.
Impact SUMMER 2008
Volume 11 • Issue 3
This issue covers gifts received and finalized through
the spring and summer of 2008.
Impact, a newsletter of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy
Fund, is published by the Division of Development in collaboration
with the Department of Communications for friends and supporters
of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
President, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Edward J. Benz Jr., MD
Chief of Staff Stephen E. Sallan, MD
Chief Medical Officer Lawrence Shulman, MD
Chief Scientific Officer Barrett J. Rollins, MD, PhD
Chief Clinical Research Officer Philip W. Kantoff, MD
Chair of Medical Oncology James Griffin, MD
Chair of Pediatric Oncology Stuart H. Orkin, MD
Chair of Radiation Oncology Jay R. Harris, MD
Chair of Executive Committee for Research David M. Livingston, MD
Senior Vice President for Experimental Medicine Lee M. Nadler, MD
Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services, Chief Nurse
Patricia Reid Ponte, RN, DNSc, FAAN
Senior Vice President for Research Beverly R. Ginsburg-Cooper, MBA
Senior Vice President for Development Susan S. Paresky
Chairman of the Jimmy Fund Michael J. Andrews
Senior Vice President for Communications Steven R. Singer
Impact Editor Brian Geer
Assistant Editor Lauren Carr
Contributors Tiffany Amoakohene, Amy Barberie, Jared Berezin,
Courtney Blenheim, Elizabeth Chernack, David Ferreira, Kristin
Lacey, Daniel Morris, Liz Nelson, Robin Orwant, Patrick Rooney,
Diane Schmidt, Sharon Veino, Coral Vogel, Lindsay Wilber
Art Director Alan Caplan
Designer Beth Rossi
Production Coordinator Georgina Morales Hampe
Photographers Lisa Cohen, Phill Davis, Nikki Dedekian, John
Deputy, Steve Gilbert, Channing Johnson, Raffi Kebabjian, Justin
Knight, Zeff Nikolla, Sam Ogden, Jill Person, Philip Porcella, Rose
Raymond, Len Rubenstein, Richard Schultz, Aaron Washington
To request a copy of Impact or to be removed from our mailing list,
please contact:
DFCI Development Office
10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor
Brookline, MA 02445-7226
617-632-3019 or 800-52-JIMMY
or download an issue at dana-farber.org/impact.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides expert, compassionate care
to children and adults and is home to groundbreaking cancer
discoveries. Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has raised
millions of dollars through thousands of community efforts to
advance Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.
Runners’ 10K milestone honored
During its annual “10K Team” reception, held June 11 at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
the 2008 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) recognized the efforts of its 100 top
team fundraisers (right) who each ran 26.2 miles in this year’s Boston Marathon ® and
raised $10,000 or more.
To date, this pacesetting group has collected a combined $1.6 million from their April
run—nearly 40 percent of the $4.5 million goal for this year’s entire 550-person DFMC
team. Every dollar raised by team members supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program in
Innovative Basic Cancer Research at DFCI and its researchers’ efforts to unlock the basic
mysteries of cancer.
2 Impact SUMMER 2008
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