Impact - The Jimmy Fund

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DFMC continued from page 1 Weaver. “Without these dedicated runners helping to support this research, we cannot begin to unravel the mysteries of cancer; Wayne and I are proud to support them.” This year, the team is set to raise an anticipated $4.4 million for the program—an achievement made possible only by the commitment its runners have to Dana-Farber and the generosity of their friends, family members, and other donors. The team itself is part of the reason that DFMC runners continue to give back year after year. Patient Partner Anthony Stacanto, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient at Dana-Farber, is Aimee McGuire’s main motivation to run for the DFMC each year. A part of the “family” As a Boston Marathon qualifier, Aimee McGuire does not need to fundraise in order to race in the country’s premiere running event. Yet the five-time DFMC runner does so because of the experience of being part of this “family” of runners. “When I ran my first Boston-qualifying time in 2008, it didn’t even occur to me to stop being a part of the DFMC team,” explained McGuire, a DFMC Board member. “After experiencing what the program is all about, running the marathon becomes greater than the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.” McGuire has cumulatively raised more than $125,000 for the Barr Program, not missing a fundraising season—even when an injury prevented her from running the race in 2007. Motivation from around the globe The DFMC team extends around the globe, with members training both near and far, and, in the the case of Jack Cumming, very far. Working for an international organization that focuses on women’s health and the early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers, Cumming’s inspiration comes from the women he meets each day while traveling around the world. “Through my occupation, I unfortunately see cancer all the time when meeting with radiologists, surgeons, oncologists, and patients– many of whom I’ve watched pass away,” Cumming reflected. “Dana- Farber is a wonderful institution working to cure this disease, and being a part of the DFMC team makes it easy to support.” Much like his teammates in Boston and elsewhere, Cumming’s motivation to run comes from wherever he may be and whomever he might meet that day. Whether he is running in a forest in Germany or getting in an early run in Hong Actress Valerie Bertinelli runs the marathon with her trainer and DFMC teammate, Christopher Ross Lane. Kong before the city wakes up, Cumming keeps on with his training because he knows that his running can help Dana-Farber have a global impact for cancer patients around the world. n MAKE YOUR RUNNING MEAN MORE Conquering women’s cancers: new decade, new hope Join Running the Race Against Cancer® and compete in famed races while raising funds for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund’s lifesaving mission. Learn more at RunDanaFarber.org The seventh annual Women’s Cancers Program (WCP) Executive Council Breakfast, held April 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, drew more than 250 women dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those diagnosed with breast and gynecologic cancers. Headed by Co-chairs Tracey E. Flaherty, Institute Trustees Jane Jamieson and Beth Terrana, and Honorary Chair and Institute Trustee Susan F. Smith, the Executive Council seeks to raise funds for Dana-Farber’s WCP and accelerate innovative, earlystage research, create advocates, and educate women about the latest advances and challenges in treating women’s cancers. Above, left to right: After describing to the crowd how unprecedented advances in technology now make it possible for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients and those whose cancer has recurred to be screened for the most common cancer-related genetic mutations—the first step toward personalized care—Dana-Farber’s William Hahn, MD, PhD, co-director of the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, and Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of Gynecologic Oncology, joined Co-chairs Flaherty, Terrana, and Jamieson in celebrating the council’s continued success. Guest speaker Joyce Kulhawik, longtime arts and entertainment critic for Boston’s CBS affiliate and an ovarian cancer survivor, stressed how difficult the disease can be to diagnose and expressed her excitement about Dana-Farber’s research progress. She applauded the WCP Executive Council, which has raised more than $7 million to date, funding 15 promising research studies. 14 Impact SPRING 2010
Have you included Dana-Farber in your estate plans? Contact us at 617-632-3756. Sanders family shares Institute’s vision of personalized medicine Institute Trustee Rebecca Sanders and her husband, Bill, are active supporters of Dana-Farber, organizing fundraising events and serving on the Visiting Committee for Hematologic Oncology. As close partners of the Institute, the couple have recognized that technology, one of DFCI’s top priorities, is key to advancing cancer research and care in the next decade. Recently, they gave $100,000 to establish the Sanders Family Genomics Technology Fund, managed under the direction of Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, principal investigator in Dana-Farber’s Center for Cancer Genome Discovery. Their gift will support the OncoMap, a novel technology developed at Dana-Farber that can detect hundreds of known cancer-related mutations in more than 1,000 tumor samples at the same time. Their gift also supports Mission Possible: The Dana-Farber Campaign to Conquer Cancer. Institute Trustee Rebecca Sanders and her husband, Bill, are excited about the progress Dana-Farber is making toward personalized medicine for every patient. “Bill and I are pleased to support a project with applications to many different forms of cancer,” said Rebecca Sanders. “This project gives us hope that rapid advancements in treatment will be made and that conquering cancer is possible in the near future.” The OncoMap represents a critical step toward the delivery of personalized medicine because it will uncover which mutations actually drive tumor growth in each individual patient. Most importantly, this can be done quickly, accurately, and on a larger scale than ever before. “Dana-Farber is deeply committed to the goal of profiling every patient’s tumor for the presence of ‘actionable’ cancer gene mutations, but this remains a challenging and costly endeavor,” said Garraway. “I feel enormous gratitude and respect for Rebecca and Bill Sanders for partnering with us in pursuit of this goal.” n George Stone built a legacy at Dana-Farber Through his development and construction business, George Stone made a distinct mark on the Baltimore, Md., landscape. When he became ill with esophageal cancer in 2004, Stone turned to Dana-Farber’s Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, for his treatment and care. From that point on, Stone made a similarly distinct impression on Dana-Farber. “George was extremely impressed with everyone at the Institute,” said Stone’s close friend Carole Gilbert, who often traveled with him to Dana-Farber. “He knew Dr. Meyerhardt was doing great research, and he wanted to be a part of it.” Sadly, Stone lost his battle with cancer in 2006. Before his passing, however, he made it clear that he wanted to build a legacy at Dana-Farber that would impact the future of cancer research. A gift of real estate from the George W. Stone Trust resulted in more than $221,500 to support the Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment Center and Meyerhardt’s research. This bequest will provide muchneeded support for clinical trial During his battle with esophageal cancer, George Stone made a bequest to Dana-Farber to thank his caregivers. infrastructure as investigators test new drug agents for gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal cancer. It will also support research that will help improve the process for selecting treatments for patients with these types of cancers. “George Stone was truly a special person,” said Meyerhardt. “He traveled here from Maryland for his care and always arrived with a positive attitude and spirit. He constantly made me and the staff laugh. His personality was infectious and lives on through this gift.” n Golfers honored for going the distance Join our fight against cancer. Establish a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In return, Dana-Farber will pay you a fixed income for life, a portion of which is tax-free. Your gift of cash or securities creates an opportunity like no other: to aid in our lifesaving mission while receiving a guaranteed rate of return for the rest of your life. To learn more, please contact Alice Tobin Zaff at 800-535-5577 or e-mail Alice_Zaff@dfci.harvard.edu Golf tournament coordinators and volunteers who took their fights against cancer to the links were honored at the annual Jimmy Fund Golf Appreciation Night, held Feb. 5 at The International in Bolton, Mass. The event recognized the hard work and dedication displayed during the 2009 season, which tallied $6.1 million for Dana-Farber. Several tournaments received awards recognizing top fundraising, fundraising growth, anniversaries, and new tournaments. In addition, the prestigious Ken Coleman Extra Mile Award, given to volunteers who emulate the late sportscaster’s hard work and devotion to the Jimmy Fund, was presented to several deserving volunteers. Above: The Foley family, (left to right) Brian, Connor, Claire, Annmarie, and Jim Foley were honored for their Jimmy Fund Open golf tournament, which has collectively raised more than $250,000 since 1990. Alan Krensky (far right), director of the Colpitts World Travel Chips In for Cancer tournament, was honored for helping to raise more than $650,000 over the past two decades. Impact SPRING 2010 15
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