Nuclea Biotechnologies helps innovative pathology research move

Transcription

Impact
Spring 2013
dana-farber.org and jimmyfund.org
THANKING THOSE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Volume 16 • Issue 1
Hale Family’s transformative gift honors
Robert’s courage
D
ana-Farber Cancer Institute Trustee Judith B. Hale
is one of those individuals who, when recognizing a
need, wants to help. She embodied this spirit for 46
years alongside her husband, Bob, and continues to display
it to this day. A highly respected family man, entrepreneur,
business leader, and philanthropist, Robert “Bob” T. Hale, Sr.
died from pancreatic cancer at age 69 in 2008.
“Pancreatic cancer took my husband from me far too
early. If my gift will make even a dent in the fight against this
A transformative gift from Dana-Farber Trustee Judith B. Hale and her
children, Robert Hale Jr. and Elizabeth H. Kendall, will establish the Hale
Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer at Dana-Farber. The center will be led
by Charles Fuchs, MD, MPH, who will serve as the first incumbent of the
Robert T. and Judith B. Hale Chair in Pancreatic Cancer.
miserable disease, I will feel well rewarded,” said Hale.
The magnitude of Hale’s $10 million gift will establish the
Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer, enabling research
into the disease under the direction of Robert’s oncologist,
Charles Fuchs, MD, MPH, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, and will create the Robert T. and Judith
B. Hale Chair in Pancreatic Cancer, the first incumbent of
which is Fuchs.
“Knowing that Dr. Fuchs was deeply involved in
research, I had some peace of mind that if some miracle
drug appeared, Dr. Fuchs would use it on my husband. You
always live with hope, and Dr. Fuchs gave meaning to that
hope,” said Hale.
“Mr. Hale was a phenomenal guy. Beyond being very
accomplished in his own right, he was a real gentleman and
dealt with his own pancreatic cancer with extraordinary
courage and dignity,” said Fuchs, whose current research
includes a major study to define new methods for assessing the risk of pancreatic cancer in order to advance more
effective early detection. Data from this study will include
biological markers that may be useful predictors of response
to treatment.
Hale’s gift will provide the means and resources to leverage all the talent available across Dana-Farber, as well as at
partnering institutions including Brigham and Women’s
Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,
united in common purpose to fight pancreatic cancer. This
comprehensive approach is already underway, as exemplified by the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center’s cohort of
4
Launching Longwood
March 24 2011
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Longwood Center
Exterior Signage Study
Brookline Avenue Perspective - Option A
Signage Base Lease Option + Option 1 + Option 2
8
Palm Beach
Philanthropy
11
Playing Together,
Giving Together
12
10th Anniversary Team
15
Unrestricted
Generosity
continued on page 13
Nuclea Biotechnologies helps innovative pathology research
move forward
T
he cutting-edge, collaborative work of the physician-scientists at DanaFarber’s Center for Molecular Pathology (CMOP) seeks to advance personalized medicine—the right drug for the right patient at the right time—and
develop targeted therapies for cancer by identifying genetic signatures through
pathology-based research.
The continued generosity of longtime Dana-Farber Cancer Institute supporter
Nuclea Biotechnologies, Inc., is helping to drive innovation at CMOP. Nuclea’s
most recent gift has also strengthened the connection between Dana-Farber and
the Jimmy Fund and its dedicated community of contributors in Massachusetts’
Berkshire County.
Nuclea’s gift of $5.9 million supports the laboratory of Massimo Loda, MD,
director of CMOP, as well as research conducted at CMOP, and establishes
the Paul M. Dowd Chair in Molecular Oncologic Pathology in honor of
the Berkshire County Jimmy Fund Council. Loda was appointed as the first
incumbent of the chair.
“We truly believe in Dana-Farber’s mission and how the Institute conducts its
research,” said Patrick Muraca, president and chief executive officer of Nuclea, and
a member of the Visiting Committee for the Jimmy Fund.
Nuclea, a biotechnology discovery company, has supported Dana-Farber
and CMOP for eight years. The Center’s interdisciplinary approach and focus
on projects with the potential for targeted cancer therapy applications appealed
to Nuclea.
continued on page 14
Patrick Muraca, president and chief executive officer of Nuclea (left), and Massimo Loda, MD, director,
Dana-Farber’s Center for Molecular Pathology, celebrated Loda’s appointment as the Paul M. Dowd Chair
in Molecular Oncologic Pathology in honor of the Berkshire County Jimmy Fund Council at a recent event
in Pittsfield, Mass.
Dear Friends,
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose
and resistant to most forms of chemotherapy.
Affecting more than 44,000 adults per year in
the United States, it is the fourth leading cause of
cancer death.
In this issue of Impact, we extend our sincere
gratitude to Judy Hale and her children, Robert Hale Jr. and Elizabeth
H. Kendall, for their transformative $10 million gift to create the Hale
Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer and establish the Robert T. and Judith
B. Hale Chair in Pancreatic Cancer. Their vision and generosity provide
vital momentum behind our efforts to better understand this challenging
disease and identify new therapeutic targets. Under the leadership of Dr.
Charles Fuchs, the chair’s first incumbent, the Hale Family Center is very
much a game-changer, positioning Dana-Farber to make a robust assault on
pancreatic cancer.
We also greatly appreciate the $5.9 million gift from Nuclea
Biotechnologies, Inc., to support the laboratory of Massimo Loda, MD, at
Dana-Farber’s Center for Molecular Pathology (CMOP), and the first-ever
chair of pathology at Dana-Farber. Nuclea’s support fuels pioneering, earlystage research into the detection of cancer-promoting genes and molecules in
tissue samples, expanding our capability to classify cancers into subtypes that
could be targeted with specific drugs.
We say a special thank you to several inspiring supporters who recently
made outstanding gifts of $1 million or more, including Alex’s Lemonade
Stand Foundation, Rick Corman, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,
Institute Trustee Gloria Spivak, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and our
steadfast community of friends who take part in the annual Discovery Ball
season in Palm Beach, Fla. The phenomenal dedication and generosity of these
donors keep Dana-Farber at the forefront of cancer science and medicine.
And finally, our thoughts remain with the Dana-Farber Marathon
Challenge team, their families, our volunteers, and all who were touched by
the tragic events surrounding the Boston Marathon. We are inspired by the
response of the Dana-Farber community and your powerful motivation to
turn grief into a positive force—by donating blood and platelets, by registering
for the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk, or, like the family of fallen MIT
Police Office Sean Collier, making gifts to honor those who were lost. On
behalf of our patients and their families, you have my warmest thanks.
Sincerely,
Susan S. Paresky
Senior Vice President for Development
Impact
SPRING 2013
Unprecedented collaboration
fuels sarcoma research
I
n 2012, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a team of leading
research institutes that includes Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center $11.5
million over five years in support of sarcoma translational research. Sarcoma is
a relatively rare cancer, and as such, federal funding has historically been limited.
This prestigious grant is one of only two in the country dedicated to sarcoma that
have ever been funded through the NCI’s Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) framework, which was established more than two decades ago
as a cornerstone of the NCI’s efforts to promote collaborative, interdisciplinary,
translational cancer research.
George Demetri, MD, director of the Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology
and senior vice president for Experimental Therapeutics at Dana-Farber, is one
of the nationally recognized leaders on the sarcoma SPORE’s dynamic scientific
team, which includes key investigators from Columbia University, MD Anderson
Cancer Center, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the independent
Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration, and for the first time, the
NCI’s intramural program.
Demetri’s leadership role in one of the most prestigious sarcoma research
projects to date reflects the fact that
Dana-Farber’s investigators drive highquality research in areas of strategic
importance to the NCI.
Dana-Farber’s high level of grant
funding from the NCI is a credit to
the effort of donors who have directed
gifts in support of early-stage research
to test hypotheses and bring promising
studies far enough along to attract
subsequent federal grants. Many
areas of high quality research outside
the NCI’s research priorities would
otherwise stagnate were it not for the
foresight and vision of donors to fund
pioneering research.
In addition to the sarcoma SPORE,
of the 62 active SPORE grants located
at academic centers in 23 states across
the United States today, Dana-Farber/
Harvard Cancer Center leads six—
in multiple myeloma, lung cancer,
George Demetri, MD, director of the Center for
prostate cancer, gastrointestinal cancer,
Sarcoma and Bone Oncology and senior vice
kidney cancer, and skin cancer—
president for Experimental Therapeutics at DanaFarber, is one of the nationally recognized leaders
totaling more than $9 million in 2012,
on the sarcoma SPORE scientific team.
which is a remarkable achievement. n
Chief of Staff Emeritus Stephen E. Sallan, MD
Volume 16 • Issue 1
Chief of Staff; Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs Lawrence N. Shulman, MD
This issue covers gifts received and finalized through the fall of 2012.
Chief Surgical Officer Scott J. Swanson, MD
President and Chief Executive Officer Edward J. Benz Jr., MD
Chief of Radiology Annick D. Van den Abbeele, MD
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dorothy E. Puhy, MBA
Assistant Vice President, Development Marketing and Donor Relations Jan Lawlor
Chair, Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Susan D. Block, MD
Impact Editor Kelsie Guerriero
Chair, Medical Oncology James D. Griffin, MD
Contributors Jennifer Skala Bodio, Lindsay Budnik, Katie Connors, Sarah Holroyd, Erin McVeigh,
Chair, Radiation Oncology Jay R. Harris, MD
Chair, Executive Committee for Research William G. Kaelin Jr., MD
Chair, Executive Committee for Clinical Research Philip W. Kantoff, MD
Chair, Pediatric Oncology Stuart H. Orkin, MD
Chair, Executive Committee for Clinical Programs Eric P. Winer, MD
Senior Vice President and General Counsel Richard S. Boskey, Esq.
Maria O’Meara, Jillian Pereira, Erin Podolak, Jackie Shydlowski, Bailey Snyder, Elina Tonkova,
Monica Zurlinden
Designer Sharon Veino
Production Coordinators Ryan Agate, Kate Harper, Georgina Morales Hampe
Photographers John Deputy; Driscoll Photography; Steve Gilbert; Drew Hyman; Jen Sherrick
Photography, courtesy of St. Baldrick’s Foundation; Justin Knight; Lucien Capehart Photography;
Elkus Manfredi; Sam Ogden; Maria O'Meara; Aaron Washington
Senior Vice President, Research Beverly Ginsburg Cooper, MBA
Senior Vice President, Experimental Therapeutics George D. Demetri, MD
Senior Vice President, Human Resources Deborah Hicks, MA
Senior Vice President, Experimental Medicine Lee M. Nadler, MD
Senior Vice President, Institute Operations Maria Papola, MHA
Senior Vice President, Development and the Jimmy Fund Susan S. Paresky, MBA
Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services; Chief Nurse Patricia Reid Ponte, RN, DNSc, FAAN
Senior Vice President, Communications Steven R. Singer, MPA
Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Treasurer Karen S. Bird, MPH
Chief Medical Officer Craig A. Bunnell, MD, MPH, MBA
Impact is a newsletter of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute published by the Division of Development and
the Jimmy Fund. For questions, or to be removed from our mailing list, please contact:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Division of Development & the Jimmy Fund
10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor
Brookline, MA 02445-7226
617-632-3019 or 800-52-JIMMY
or visit jimmyfund.org/opt-out
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.
Chief Quality Officer Joseph O. Jacobson, MD, MSc
Chief Clinical Research Officer Bruce E. Johnson, MD
Chief Scientific Officer Barrett J. Rollins, MD, PhD
2
Impact
Spring 2013
Correction: Due to an editing error, the Fall 2012 issue of Impact misstated the name of the Prayers
From Maria Foundation. We sincerely regret the error.
Thank you for supporting Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund!
Richardson named as the first incumbent to R.J. Corman
Professorship in Medicine
“K
eep the change,” Richard Corman said to the cashier in consideration for
pork tenderloin on a bun and a Mountain Dew. Corman’s hunger was
understandable. He had just completed his early morning three-mile run,
urged on by the clucking hens along the Kentucky roadside.
Rick Corman (left) and Paul Richardson, MD, at a celebration commemorating Richardson's appointment
as the first R.J. Corman Professor in Medicine.
Corman’s “keep the change” philosophy at breakfast permeates everything in
his life. His philanthropic impact at Dana-Farber and elsewhere is as deep as it is
personal. After 12 years of survival with multiple myeloma, under the outstanding
care of Paul Richardson, MD, clinical director of the Jerome Lipper Center for
Multiple Myeloma, Corman endowed the R.J. Corman Professorship in Medicine
at Harvard Medical School with a $3.3 million gift, naming Richardson as the first
incumbent.
“Dr. Richardson is the smartest, most compassionate clinician, with the best
bedside manner of any physician I’ve ever come across,” said Corman. “I’ve seen
a lot of big dogs come and go from trying to treat this disease. Why are Dr.
Richardson and his team a success? They know how to put the money right where
it is doing the most good.”
Richardson’s appointment as professor is the culmination of more than 240
original articles in top peer-reviewed journals and novel investigations that form
the backbone of what has been one of the most productive clinical research engines
in myeloma over the past decade.
The deep-rooted patient-provider bond dates back to November 2001 when
Corman was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and sought out Richardson. After
successful initial therapy with novel treatments, Corman underwent a stem cell
transplant at Dana-Farber when he was 45. Since then, Corman has been very
much in the thick of this disease and understands the challenges his fellow patients
face.
“It’s not the bad bounce in life, but the bounce back, as the saying goes,
and Rick personifies this with his unique spirit and commitment in tackling
his disease,” said Richardson. “Hard work and tenacity are at his core, with a
generosity and kindness toward others that is second to none. Frankly, we could
do with a lot more Ricks in the world.”
Corman fights his yet incurable form of cancer with the same grit it took to
push forward through a challenging upbringing and onward to build one of the
largest private railroad companies in the world.
“When he’s at work, he’s with his team and he is always leading by example,”
added Richardson. “That is the kind of man he is, completely invested in his
family, community, and constantly giving back. I know of nobody like him.”
“Why are Dr. Richardson and his team a success?
They know how to put the money right where it is
doing the most good.”
— Rick Corman
Corman’s cumulative giving to Dana-Farber totals more than $6.5 million.
The R.J. Corman Professorship in Medicine is the latest in a long line of major
gifts—many hand delivered—to the Richard Corman Research Fund in Multiple
Myeloma, under Richardson’s direction, and the Shawna Ashlee Corman Junior
Investigatorship in Multiple Myeloma, under the direction of Cousantine
Mitsiades, MD, PhD.
Corman’s funds supported unprecedented early-phase trials led by Richardson
that demonstrated a highly effective three-drug regimen, known as RVD, for
multiple myeloma patients who have relapsed and is now a first-line therapy, one
of the most widely used novel combinations in the U.S.
“They’re pulling more than I’m pushing,” said Corman about Richardson and
his care team. “I get a glance at how hard Richardson works. How do you put a
price on the time he gives up with his wife, Annie, and three children so people
like me can enjoy his success? Endowing the professorship is the least I could do.” n
New gifts mark $10 million milestone of giving from
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
S
uzy Komen was known for her compassion for others, her sense of humor,
and the grace with which she faced breast cancer—and her legacy does not
end there. Suzy’s sister Nancy G. Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen for
the Cure® breast cancer organization in 1982, two years after she made a promise
to her dying sister to do everything she could to not let others suffer as she had.
The organization has since become the largest non-government funder of breast
cancer research in the world.
The Komen Research Program has
had a tremendous impact at DanaFarber Cancer Institute. Susan G.
Komen for the Cure recently awarded
five Dana-Farber investigators a total of
$2.6 million, putting the organization’s
total giving past the $10 million mark,
a milestone that showcases the strength
of the organization’s deep relationship with the Institute and our investigators.
“No one donor, gift, or organization can win the fight against breast cancer
alone,” Brinker says. “Our long partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has
led to major advances against this disease, and we know that this partnership serves
as an example of all that can be accomplished through collaboration and a shared
vision.”
Komen’s chief scientific advisor and co-chair of its Scientific Advisory Board is
Eric Winer, MD, who is director of the Breast Oncology Center at Dana-Farber.
Research supported by the most recent Komen awards includes two $900,000
grants for projects investigating triple negative breast cancer. Geoffrey Shapiro,
MD, PhD, is testing the safety, efficacy, and biologic effects of a combination
therapy designed to overcome resistance to treatment with PARP inhibitors.
Additionally, Piotr Sicinski, MD, PhD, is investigating a new molecular target for
10% of all designated gifts supports our Faculty Research Fund to advance Dana-Farber’s research mission.
triple negative breast cancer.
“The support from Komen will allow us to test our hypothesis that a cellular
enzyme called CDC7 may be a good therapeutic target in patients with triple
negative breast cancers,” said Sicinski. “Currently there are no effective therapies
for triple negative breast cancers, so research into new therapies for this aggressive
type of breast cancer is important.”
“Our long partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute has led to major advances against this
disease, and we know that this partnership serves as
an example of all that can be accomplished through
collaboration and a shared vision.”
— Nancy G. Brinker, founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Komen also awarded a grant of $450,000 to Hailing Cheng, PhD, who will
investigate resistance to treatment with PI3K inhibitors in HER2-positive breast
cancer. Additionally, grants of $180,000 each have been awarded to Priscilla
Brastianos, MD, PhD, and Nina Ilic, PhD, both under the mentorship of
William Hahn, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery.
Brastianos will investigate the genetic changes that can cause breast cancer to
spread to the brain. By understanding these changes, she hopes to develop new
treatments for breast cancer patients with brain metastases. Ilic will investigate the
role of a gene called OGDH in suppressing the growth of cancer cells, which could
have important implications for new treatments. n
Impact
Spring 2013
3
ch 24 2011
Impact is available online at jimmyfund.org/Impact
Gloria Spivak Faculty Advancement Fund and the Office for
Faculty Development mark five-year milestone
“M
aintaining the excellence of Dana-Farber now and in the future is tied to
the recruitment, retention, and merit-based promotion of the talented
women and men who give so much to help fulfill Dana-Farber’s mission
to conquer cancer,” said Dana-Farber President and CEO Edward J. Benz Jr., MD.
In keeping with this philosophy, President Benz set up the Committee on the
Status of Women Faculty in November 2005, which recommended establishing an
Office for Faculty Development (OFD) at Dana-Farber in 2007. As a result, the
OFD was founded to facilitate the development of all faculty, thereby furthering
Dana-Farber’s excellence in cancer care and research.
Now in its fifth year, the Gloria Spivak Faculty Advancement Fund provides
funding to facilitate the ongoing research of Dana-Farber faculty members who are
facing a family challenge, and is the hallmark effort in the OFD’s drive toward a
supportive work climate and improved work-life balance for all Dana-Farber faculty.
“In my personal and professional life, I have always invested in people, and
Dana-Farber has the best people,” said Institute Trustee Gloria Spivak, MBA, who,
during her investment career, was a manager of Dana-Farber’s endowment.
“The best organizations in the world understand the importance of retaining
their most valuable assets, their people, and that is what the OFD is all
about,” said Glorian Sorensen, PhD, MPH, faculty vice president for Faculty
Development.
Under Sorensen’s leadership, the OFD has championed a work climate at DanaFarber that includes the Committee for Women Faculty, Clinical Faculty Council,
Retreat for Women Faculty, Advancement of the Careers of Women Faculty
Award, Clinical Mentoring Award, President’s Reception for Junior Faculty, the
needs of underrepresented minority faculty, and many other initiatives.
“The Gloria Spivak Faculty Advancement Fund is aligned with Dana-Farber’s
core values. It aims to express the same compassion to our faculty as is delivered to
our patients and their families,” said President Benz.
Thus far, this fund has granted 18
awards for women and men out of a
total of 57 applicants who represent
a wide range of research programs at
Dana-Farber. A selection committee of
senior faculty determines recipients of
this award based on the scientific merit
of research coupled with the need to
address personal and family challenges
in a timely way.
“I am intensely grateful to Gloria
Spivak for recognizing the challenge
in sustaining the pace of research
productivity that is typically expected
while pursuing an academic career and
The Gloria Spivak Faculty Advancement Fund
raising a family,” said former awardee
is a hallmark effort of Dana-Farber’s Office for
Faculty Development, led by Glorian Sorensen,
Joanne Wolfe, MD, MPH. “Without
PhD, MPH (above).
this award, I may have had to let go of
research that I’m passionate about.”
For another physician-scientist, Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, the Faculty
Advancement Fund helped accelerate Stegmaier’s research at a critical juncture in
her career, at the same time as she was responding to personal and family issues
that could not be postponed. Subsequently, results from Stegmaier’s project were
published in the journal Cancer Cell in 2009 and were leveraged to attract a fiveyear, $1.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute.
“Gloria and the OFD have laid the groundwork. Now we need more people
to join the effort to ensure our faculty have the best possible chance to succeed in
their work,” said President Benz. n
First gift to Longwood Center St. Baldrick’s Foundation
from Richards Barry Joyce
grants support patients from
& Partners opens doors
diagnosis through survivorship
T
he eight partners of the commercial real estate firm Richards Barry Joyce
& Partners all grew up in Massachusetts with knowledge of Dana-Farber’s
importance. Giving back to the community in which they do business has
always been a top priority, leading them to give Dana-Farber $100,000 as the first
gift supporting the Institute’s ever-expanding research agenda in the new Longwood Center. The building, which is being constructed by an independent developer at the intersection of Brookline and Longwood Avenues, is slated to open in
2015. Dana-Farber will occupy three floors of the 11-story structure.
“It’s an opportunity for Dana-Farber to have more front doors,” Robert
Richards, the firm’s president, said of how this exciting project will enhance
Dana-Farber’s physical presence in the
Longwood Medical Area.
The project is a strategic expansion
of Dana-Farber’s basic research
initiatives in cancer chemistry and
cancer biology, drivers of breakthrough
therapies, which will allow laboratory
teams to be built around the particular
needs of these teams. Laboratories will
be laid out as “research neighborhoods”
to foster collaboration and creativity,
and to optimize use of space. This will
help bring together and retain leading
investigators at Dana-Farber, as well
as provide space to attract additional
talent.
“We feel so good to be contributing
Richards BarryDana-Farber
Joyce & Partners
has made
Brookline Avenue Perspective - Option A
Cancer Institute
- Longwood Center
to aSignage
great
cause, and we will have great
Signage
Study
the inaugural gift toward Exterior
the new
Longwood
Base Lease Option + Option 1 + Option 2
Center (above), which will expand and enhance
pride in the accomplishments that
Dana-Farber’s programs in cancer chemistry and
come from this best-in-class research
cancer biology research.
facility,” said Richards.
Dana-Farber Chief Scientific
Officer Barrett J. Rollins, MD, PhD, commented, “The Longwood Center will
transform Dana-Farber’s ability to develop new cancer therapies, advancing our
capabilities in chemical biology to a level that matches our skill in making genetic
discoveries in cancer. We are deeply grateful to Richards Barry Joyce & Partners
for contributing to this project.” n
4
Impact
Spring 2013
W
hat started as a bet between colleagues to shave their heads to support
children fighting cancer has grown into the St. Baldrick’s Foundation,
a volunteer-driven and donor-centered charity dedicated to funding the best in childhood cancer research. Since 2005, St. Baldrick’s has awarded
more than $103 million in research grants. The foundation’s most recent support
of pediatric research and care at Dana-Farber includes three grants totaling nearly
$325,000.
Birgit Knoechel, MD, PhD, was named a St. Baldrick’s Fellow, and will
receive two years of support for her work to uncover why many T-cell acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients experience recurrence after initial response
to chemotherapy. Knoechel is studying BRD4 to determine its effectiveness in
reducing drug resistance in T-cell ALL.
Highlighting the importance of patient care in addition to clinical therapies,
St. Baldrick’s awarded a one-year Supportive Care Research Grant to Sharon
Bober, PhD, to develop and deliver a sexual health educational program for young
adult survivors and start a dialogue about the impact of treatment on fertility.
Additionally, Joanne Wolfe, MD, received a one-year P.A.L.S. - St. Baldrick’s
Research Grant, to initiate an enhanced
intervention program to assist pediatric
cancer patients and their families
coping with the emotional distress of a
cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“The proposals from these
researchers were forward-thinking
and innovative—the type of work
St. Baldrick’s wants to support,” said
Kathleen Ruddy, chief executive officer
of St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “Further,
they not only help us save lives, but
improve the quality of those lives, once
saved. We’re eager to see these projects
progress, as we work to advance our
understanding and treatment of
childhood cancers.” n
St. Baldrick's Foundation is represented by 2013
Ambassador Matthias, 4, and his father, Craig.
New Leukemia & Lymphoma Society grants advance insight
into blood cancers
W
ith new grant funding from longtime supporter the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society (LLS), Dana-Farber physician-scientists can
continue to delve into the complexities of blood cancers with the goal
of eradicating these diseases. For 2013, grants from the LLS Career Development
Program and Translational Research Program were awarded to 15 Dana-Farber
researchers, totaling $6.37 million.
“LLS is proud to support Dana-Farber researchers, who are at the forefront of
discovering innovative diagnostics and treatments,” said Richard Winneker, PhD,
senior vice president of research at LLS. “There is no means of prevention or early
screenings for blood cancers, so our focus is on lifesaving research to find cures.”
The dual research concentration of the LLS grant program into both basic
and translational science is vital in the search for cures. The Dana-Farber studies
recently funded by LLS are both traditional and pioneering, and led by promising
fellows and experienced innovators.
The LLS Career Development Program gives awards to talented researchers at
various stages of their careers. LLS Fellow Grants of $165,000 were awarded to
Hauke Cornils, PhD, Christopher Ott, PhD, Alexandre Puissant, PhD, Youzhong
Wan, PhD, and Chongzhi Zang, PhD.
Andrew Lane, MD, PhD, was awarded a Special Fellow Grant of $195,000.
Lane is investigating the genetic makeup of chromosome 21, an extra copy of
which is often found in patients who have B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
He is working to develop new, targeted treatments that specifically address cancers
with extra copies of genes on this chromosome.
Gregory Abel, MD, also received a Career Development Program award to
support his research on myelodysplasia transplantation-associated outcomes.
The goal of LLS’ Translational Research Program is to fund new and groundbreaking research in order to fast-track bench-to-bedside treatment and cures
for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Translational Grants of $600,000 were
awarded to Margaret Shipp, MD, chief of Dana-Farber’s Division of Hematologic
Neoplasia and director of the Lymphoma Program; Jennifer Brown, MD, PhD;
and Catherine Wu, MD.
Special edition Translational Grants of $600,000 addressing critical areas
of unmet need were awarded to James Griffin, MD, chair of Dana-Farber’s
Department of Medical Oncology; Alan D’Andrea, MD; Irene Ghobrial, MD;
Anthony Letai, MD, PhD; and A. Thomas Look, MD.
Griffin’s research study examines RNA splicing in acute myeloid leukemia and
what this information means for targeted therapeutics.
“The support of LLS is invaluable to Dana-Farber as we seek to advance our
understanding of the development of blood cancers, and create personalized
therapies to effectively treat these diseases. LLS has been funding research at DFCI
for more than 30 years, and this has been a great partnership,” said Griffin.
“LLS is proud to support Dana-Farber researchers,
who are at the forefront of discovering innovative
diagnostics and treatments.”
— Richard Winneker, PhD, senior vice president of research, Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society
“Traditional research programs are essential to advancing ground-breaking
discoveries, but we have also embraced the innovative culture of modern
medical science,” said Winneker. “The advent of genome sequencing provides an
unprecedented opportunity to deliver patient-specific therapies. By understanding
the root causes of diseases, we can then develop therapies to target those specific
mutations.”
Committed partners like LLS bring Dana-Farber’s physician-scientists closer
than ever to delivering targeted therapies and help enhance the Institute’s focus on
personalized medicine. n
Perspiring and pedaling with purpose:
PMC raises $37 million
Last August, in record 90-degree heat and humidity, more than 5,200 cyclists from
nine countries and 36 states rode across the Commonwealth to raise an astounding
$37 million for Dana-Farber in the 2012 Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC). Riders
included Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, 300 cancer survivors,
current cancer patients, and avid cyclists. Many rode in support of loved ones being
treated for cancer or in honor of those who have been lost to the disease. Co-presenting
sponsors New Balance and the Red Sox Foundation, riders, virtual fundraisers, and more
than 3,000 volunteers all contributed tremendously to Dana-Farber’s fight against cancer.
At the ceremonial check presentation Nov. 4 (from left): New Balance President and CEO
Rob DeMartini, Stacey Lucchino, Boston Red Sox President and CEO and Institute Trustee
Larry Lucchino, PMC Executive Director and Founder and Institute Trustee Billy Starr, DanaFarber Cancer Institute President and CEO Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, PMC Board Member
Todd Langton, and WCVB-TV President and General Manager Bill Fine.
Impact
Spring 2013
5
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s Center of Excellence
Award supports translational research
I
n 2000, as a four-year-old neuroblastoma patient, Alexandra Scott told her
mother she wanted to set up a lemonade stand to raise money for her doctors,
so they could help other kids as they were helping her. That first year, Alex and
her brother raised $2,000. The lemonade stand became a tradition, and after Alex
passed away in 2004, her family continued her legacy through the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). Furthering its commitment to finding cures for all
childhood cancers, ALSF selected Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center
as one of the first three institutions to receive a Center of Excellence Award, a
$1.75 million grant—$350,000 per year, renewable for up to five years.
The award focuses on translational research and the rapid delivery of laboratorybased science to the clinic. Additionally, the grant will allow Dana-Farber to invest
Alex Scott started her lemonade stand to raise money for doctors to help other children as they helped her.
Casty Family’s gift honors
outstanding mentors
in future curative therapies by committing to the education and training of two
junior investigators working on innovative drug development for pediatric cancers.
Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MD, will oversee the training component for the
physician scholars, and Wendy London, PhD, will manage the clinical research
infrastructure.
“We liked the educational component of Dana-Farber’s proposal,” said Jay
Scott, co-executive director of the foundation. “We hope this award will help
train the next generation of scientists to be great drug developers and to move the
clinical trials process along.”
Having the privilege to train and mentor junior investigators is an opportunity
that Rodriguez-Galindo expects will pay off.
“We are convinced that these will be the next leaders in the field of
experimental therapeutics,” he said.
Scott acknowledged that one of the expectations for Center of Excellence
Award recipients is collaboration, calling it “the way to take things to the next
level” and “the future of medicine.” ALSF is eager for institutions to provide
patients with increased access to new and innovative clinical trials, locally and
nationally, in order to move promising treatments forward.
“We are very honored to win this award,” said Rodriguez-Galindo. “It offers our
program the unique opportunity to advance our quest to develop more effective
and less toxic treatments for children with cancer through the development of new
agents and cellular therapies.”
Furthermore, ALSF has recently awarded several other grants to Dana-Farber
physician-scientists. Dana-Farber’s Chair of Pediatric Oncology, Stuart Orkin,
MD, and David Pellman, MD, each received Innovation Awards for their work
focusing on osteosarcoma and new therapeutic targets in pediatric leukemia
respectively. Young Investigator Awards were given to Jennifer Wu, MD, PhD,
and Julia Etchin, PhD, pediatric oncologists who both have a research focus on
leukemia. n
Kraft Family commemorates merger
R
on and Ronni Casty have long been interested in community welfare, and,
like Ron’s father, David, who served as a Dana-Farber Trustee, they honed this
interest into support of Dana-Farber in particular. When David later received
treatment at the Institute, the Castys’ connection became even more personal.
“Dana-Farber holds an outstanding place for us, due to its reputation, the way
it does things, and what it’s been for us,” Ron Casty said.
Ron and Ronni decided to give back with a $250,000 gift to establish the Casty
Family Achievement in Mentoring Award. This award honors one of the aspects
that impressed them most—Dana-Farber’s engagement in developing young
scientists through mentorship.
The Kraft family and special guests celebrated the official opening of the newly
expanded Kraft Family Blood Donor Center Dec. 5, 2012. Previously, platelets were
collected at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at Dana-Farber, while red blood cells
Jane Weeks, MD, MSc (center), the first recipient of the Casty Family Achievement in Mentoring Award,
with Ronni and Ron Casty at the award ceremony on March 6.
“We wanted to formalize how mentorship was recognized in order to preserve
it,” Ron Casty explained. The special breed of mentorship at Dana-Farber
facilitates the two-way exchange between mentors and mentees that contributes to
the power fueling the Institute.
The first recipient of the Casty Award, Jane Weeks, MD, MSc, is a nearly
30-year veteran of Dana-Farber, who oversees 120 researchers and faculty members
as chief of Population Sciences. Weeks has said, “Dana-Farber is the greatest place
in the world to be a mentor because the trainees are so fabulous. They are so smart
and creative and excited about their work, it’s an honor to work with them.”
“Jane Weeks sets the highest standard for mentorship,” said Stephen Sallan, MD,
Dana-Farber chief of staff emeritus, who oversaw the award selection process. “She is
undoubtedly exactly the type of role model that Ron and Ronni Casty had in mind
when giving their generous support to this crucial facet of Dana-Farber culture.” n
6
Impact
Spring 2013
and whole blood donations were overseen by the Blood Donor Center at Brigham and
Women’s Hospital (BWH). The new center, located on the second floor of the Jimmy
Fund building, collects platelets, whole blood, and red blood cells.
In addition to offering more space and privacy to donors, the new facility features
photographs and memorabilia highlighting the relationship between the Kraft Family,
the New England Patriots—owned by Institute Trustee Robert Kraft—and DanaFarber, BWH, and blood and platelet donors.
Above, at the dedication of the new Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, from left,
front row: Institute Trustees Daniel Kraft and Robert Kraft, Joshua Kraft, DanaFarber’s Kenneth Anderson, MD, and Dana-Farber President and CEO Edward J. Benz
Jr., MD. Back row: former Patriots players Kevin Faulk and Andre Tippett, Brigham
and Women’s/Faulkner Hospitals President Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD, and former Patriot
Joe Andruzzi.
Get involved, have fun, and beat cancer — visit JimmyFund.org today
New investigatorship supports women’s cancers with
biostatistical research
T
hanks to a generous $1 million gift from the CJL Foundation, and support
from members of the Visiting Committee for the Susan F. Smith Center for
Women’s Cancers, Dana-Farber’s first research investigatorship dedicated to
women’s cancers and funded by philanthropy, is now part of the Institute’s Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology. Biostatistician William Barry,
PhD, has been named the Nancy and
Morris John Lurie Investigator.
Barry’s new position provides
biostatistical support for current
clinical investigations and designs of
new clinical trials. His broad portfolio
examines data on women’s cancers from
a population level down to a molecular
level, with a goal of generating new
research ideas and developing smarter
clinical trial designs for investigating
these ideas.
“We’re at a unique nexus point
in research, as large-scale initiatives
have led us to understand cancer as
a disease of the genome,” said Barry.
“Our research asks what molecular
information is clinically actionable and
William Barry, PhD, is the Nancy and Morris John
how can we develop trials to explore its
Lurie Investigator in Dana-Farber’s Department of
use to direct patient care.”
Biostatistics and Computational Biology.
“Across cancer research—and the
Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s
Cancers Gynecologic Oncology Program is no exception—we have significantly
increased our ability to generate information about our patients and their diseases,”
said Giovanni Parmigiani, PhD, director of the Department of Biostatistics and
Computational Biology. “But this growth has not yet seen a corresponding increase
in our ability to make sense of this data.”
The Nancy and Morris John Lurie Investigatorship brings this key component
to Dana-Farber’s women’s cancers for Parmigiani and his team. The goal for this
investigatorship is that it will contribute to both faster and higher quality advances
in the research of the physician-scientists in women’s cancers.
The innovative clinical investigations planned for this year and the opportunity
to build partnerships within Dana-Farber’s different disciplines appealed to Barry.
“The strengths of the biostatistics and computational biology team, the medical
oncology team, and the researchers from varied scientific disciplines create a rich
environment for one to contribute to academic research,” said Barry.
One of Barry’s areas of current research is focused on conducting adaptive
clinical trials when a tumor’s molecular information has been obtained. He is
also involved with several phase III trials of biologic and cytotoxic therapeutics in
advanced, metastatic breast cancer.
“The creation of the Nancy and Morris John Lurie
Investigator position is strong recognition that
biostatistics is a key element to cancer research.”
— William Barry, PhD
The CJL Foundation, a longtime Dana-Farber supporter, was interested in
funding this position because of the impact biostatistics will likely have in creating
smart clinical research trials for women’s cancers.
“Dana-Farber displayed great foresight and insight in acknowledging that highquality research requires consideration to statistics and quantitative disciplines,”
said Barry. “The creation of the Nancy and Morris John Lurie Investigator position
is strong recognition that biostatistics is a key element to cancer research.” n
Melanoma Research Alliance
Garfinkle family eases burden
sets precedent in research
of cancer treatment
funding
L
ooking to make a difference in the lives of young patients at Dana-Farber,
Steven and Barbara Garfinkle established the Garfinkle Family Pediatric Patient
Assistance Fund in 2007. Inspired by the direct impact of their support, the
Garfinkles recently renewed their gift in an effort to alleviate the financial burden
pediatric patients’ families encounter
when under-going cancer treatment.
“People don’t understand the dayto-day issues a family may face when a
loved one is hospitalized,” said Steven
Garfinkle. “A contribution could have
an immediate positive effect on people’s
lives, and we plan to give to the fund as
long as we can.”
Under the direction of Joe Chabot,
MS, pediatric resource program
manager, the Garfinkle Family
Pediatric Patient Assistance Fund
Joe Chabot, MS, Dana-Farber's pediatric resource
provides direct support to families in
program manager, oversees the Garfinkle Family
need whose children are being treated
Pediatric Patient Assistance Fund.
at Dana-Farber. This support includes
grocery and food gift cards, prepaid gas
cards, and gift certificates to families who are facing hardship during the year.
W
“People don’t understand the day-to-day issues a
family may face when a loved one is hospitalized. A
contribution could have an immediate positive effect
on people’s lives.”
— Steven Garfinkle
“As progress continues, we have seen tremendous creativity and persistence
from the research community in exploring novel targets for therapy that will
bring better outcomes for patients,” said Wendy K.D. Selig, president and CEO
of MRA. “Dr. Garraway’s latest research is a shining example of what can happen
when the best and brightest focus on innovative solutions.”
While there are recent advancements in melanoma treatment, options are still
lacking for patients whose tumors contain mutations in the NRAS gene.
“We’re working toward developing therapeutic combinations that can suppress
the growth of melanomas with NRAS gene mutations. Such tumors are much less
responsive to existing drug therapies,” said Garraway. “The generosity of the MRA
is allowing us to complete the research needed to accelerate the identification of
these new drug combinations and rapidly incorporate them into clinical trials of
patients with NRAS-mutant melanoma.” n
“Many of our families struggle financially, as parents often must take unpaid
leaves from their jobs to care for their child. At the same time there are numerous
out-of-pocket expenses that health insurance does not cover,” said Chabot. “The
Garfinkles’ ongoing support, including their recent gift, makes the long road of
cancer treatment much easier for our patients and their families.” n
hen Debra Black was diagnosed with melanoma in early 2007, she was
disheartened by the lack of progress and funding in the field. Wasting
no time, she and her husband, Leon, established a foundation that
would support the discovery of promising preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic
approaches that could more effectively
attack this highly aggressive disease. Six
years have passed and the Melanoma
Research Alliance (MRA) holds its
place as the largest private funder of
melanoma research, having awarded more than $38 million in research funding to
96 projects worldwide to date—with plans to award more than $9 million this year.
Dana-Farber’s Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, was granted $300,000 through the
MRA’s 2012 Established Investigator Award. The MRA has supported Garraway
twice before through 2008 and 2009 Team Science Awards.
“Dr. Garraway’s latest research is a shining example of
what can happen when the best and brightest focus
on innovative solutions.”
— Wendy Selig, president and CEO, Melanoma Research Alliance
Impact
Spring 2013
7
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2013 Palm Beach season a resounding success
S
ince 1991, Dana-Farber’s friends and supporters in Palm Beach, Fla., have
loyally championed the Institute’s fight against cancer, raising more than
$28 million to advance innovative research and expert, compassionate
care. This year was no exception, generating $1.7 million and building on their
exceptional history of commitment to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
On Jan. 22, Trustee Michele and Howard Kessler helped ring in the 2013
Palm Beach season by hosting a Kick-Off Party Cocktail Reception at their home
in Palm Beach. The evening included remarks by Institute President and CEO,
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, who shared research highlights of the Dana-Farber
physician-scientists also in attendance. The night sparked engaging conversation in
an intimate atmosphere, setting a fantastic tone for the rest of the season.
“The enduring and spectacular dedication of the Palm
Beach community has provided valuable momentum
behind the Institute’s mission to conquer cancer.”
— Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD, Institute president and CEO
The Discovery Ball weekend officially started Feb. 21 with the Pre-Ball
Dinner at Trump International in West Palm Beach. Hosts included Bonnie and
Trustee Donald Dwares, Trustee Sandra Krakoff, Trustee Phyllis and Richard
Krock, Trustee Judie and Larry Schlager, and Trustee Jean and Fred Sharf. Guests
enjoyed an elaborate buffet, stimulating discussion, and music by Doug Verga
Entertainment while dining with the physicians.
The next morning, on Feb. 22, the 12th annual Breakfast with the Doctors was
held at the Palm Beach Country Club. The forum enabled guests to hear firsthand
(Left to right): Discovery Ball Grand Benefactor and Honorary Chair Donald Trump, Dana-Farber President
and CEO Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, and Discovery Ball Chair and Grand Benefactor Patrick Park.
Grand Benefactors and Kick-Off Party Cocktail Reception Chairs Michele
Kessler, an Institute Trustee, and her husband Howard.
8
Impact
Spring 2013
about the latest advances in cancer research and care from six accomplished DanaFarber physician-scientists. Judy and Jim Harpel and Vicki and Arthur Loring
served as hosts.
The weekend’s events culminated with the 22nd Annual Discovery Ball,
themed “Phantom of the Opera,” on Feb. 23. More than 350 civic, business, and
philanthropic leaders from South Florida and New England participated in this
year’s rendezvous at the Mar-a-Lago Club. Patrick Park, who served as Chair,
shaped a memorable night with his creative flair, organizational expertise, and
passion for event planning. Melania and Donald Trump served as the evening’s
Honorary Chairs.
The Discovery Ball began with a poolside cocktail hour featuring the music of
the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra and opera tenor Francesco Valpa. Guests
were then welcomed to the ballroom by “The Phantom of the Opera” movie
playing on big screens, complete with an organist dressed as the phantom. After
a decadent four-course dinner, guests danced late into the night to music by The
Sultans of Swing. To wrap up the evening, guests were treated to parting gifts
of Atlas Water Carafes from Tiffany & Co. In addition to the event chairs and
hosts, we are tremendously grateful for the support of Grand Benefactors Phyllis
and Paul Fireman, Lois Pope, and RUSSELECTRIC, Grand Patrons Renée and
Robert Belfer, and Sutra Design International, which provided the beautiful
Discovery Ball décor.
“The enduring and spectacular dedication of the Palm Beach community has
provided valuable momentum behind the Institute’s mission to conquer cancer,”
said Benz. “Their shared participation and leadership each year creates a robust
base of support that helps ensure Dana-Farber’s continued progress. Truly, Palm
Beach exemplifies how Dana-Farber’s reach extends far beyond Boston, touching
lives around the globe.” n
Grand Benefactors Phyllis and Paul Fireman.
Grand Patrons Renée and Robert Belfer.
Tiffany & Co.’s Jeff and Gina Sabean (left) with Grand Benefactor Lois Pope.
Celebrating 60 years together
Breakfast with the Doctors Co-chairs Vicki and Arthur Loring.
In 2013, the Boston Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund celebrate the 60th anniversary of
our legendary partnership, unlike any other in professional sports. At a joint press
conference in March to kick off the year’s festivities, Red Sox President and CEO
Larry Lucchino, a Dana-Farber Trustee, presented Dana-Farber President and CEO
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, with a check for $60,000 from the Red Sox Foundation,
in honor of our 60 years together, to provide a matching challenge for donors
to our Annual Fund. Activities planned for the year include performances by the
newly formed Jimmy Fund Chorus at Fenway Park and other venues; the presence
at Fenway of Dana-Farber’s Blum Family Resource Center Van to provide Red
Sox fans with information on cancer and its prevention; appearances by Jimmy
Fund Co-Captains, Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks and catcher Jarrod
Saltalamacchia; and the declaration by the Red Sox of August as Jimmy Fund month.
Pictured above, at the March press conference (from left): Red Sox President and
CEO Larry Lucchino, Red Sox third baseman and Jimmy Fund Co-Captain Will
Breakfast with the Doctors Co-chairs Judy and
Jim Harpel.
Pre-Ball Dinner co-chair and Institute Trustee
Sandra Krakoff.
Middlebrooks, Dana-Farber President and CEO Edward Benz Jr., MD, Jimmy Fund
Clinic patient Jonathan Geddes, and Wally the Green Monster.
Walk participants celebrate another
successful trek to conquer cancer
Pre-Ball Dinner Co-chairs Judie Schlager, an Institute Trustee, and her husband, Larry (left) and Institute
Trustee Jean Sharf and her husband, Fred.
The 2012 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai raised nearly
$7 million for Dana-Farber, thanks to almost 8,000 participants. This milestone
was celebrated Sunday, March 10, during the Extra Mile Brunch held at the Boston
Marriott Copley Place.
The brunch recognized the fundraising accomplishments and dedication of
Pacesetters (participants who raised $1,250 or more), captains of teams raising
$10,000 or more, sponsors, volunteer Site Captains, and patient Walk Heroes.
Above: Walk team Powered by Pam, captained by Chris Carlin (center), was
recognized with the 2012 Team Lifetime Fundraising Achievement Award. Powered
by Pam, founded to honor Carlin’s late sister Pam Carlin Reddan, raised nearly
$50,000 in 2012, for a total of more than $500,000 since 2002.
Register today at JimmyFundWalk.org for the 25th anniversary Boston Marathon
Pre-Ball Dinner Co-chairs Phyllis Krock, an
Institute Trustee, and her husband, Richard.
Pre-Ball Dinner Co-chairs Donald Dwares, an
Institute Trustee, and his wife, Bonnie.
Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai, Sunday, September 8.
Impact
Spring 2013
9
The V Foundation helps
Dana-Farber researchers
keep playing to win
A
fter receiving his cancer diagnosis, renowned college basketball coach and
award-winning ESPN commentator Jim Valvano dedicated himself to
finding a cure. In 1993, shortly before he passed away, Valvano and ESPN
created The V Foundation. The V Foundation has supported Dana-Farber
researchers with close to $5 million since 1997, including two recent grants
totaling $800,000. To date, The V Foundation has raised more than $120 million,
funding more than 450 grants nationwide.
“We want to support the best and the brightest,” said Nick Valvano, president
emeritus of The V Foundation. “We found that in Boston—in the potential of the
researchers and in the Institute’s resources to support them.”
In 2012, Dana-Farber’s David Barbie, MD, and Kimberly Stegmaier, MD,
received a V Scholar Grant and a Translational Grant, respectively. These
commitments represent two important factors that Jim Valvano believed necessary
to finding cures for cancer—investment in young researchers, and in projects that
step on the accelerator of cancer research.
As a V Scholar, Barbie will receive $200,000 toward his project investigating a
novel therapy for KRAS-driven lung cancers. Barbie found that a drug developed
against myelofibrosis also inhibits cancer-driving survival signals associated with
KRAS, and his group has shown significant anti-tumor activity using the drug in a
pre-clinical model of lung cancer.
“We want to support the best and the brightest.”
— Nick Valvano, president emeritus, The V Foundation
“This generous funding opportunity from The V Foundation accelerated our
identification of a drug already in late stage clinical trials at Dana-Farber that has
tremendous potential to be repurposed,” said Barbie.
Stegmaier will use her $600,000 award with James Bradner, MD, for preclinical
testing of drugs against pediatric neuroblastoma. These drugs include JQ1, a
compound discovered in Bradner’s lab that has been proven to induce anti-cancer
characteristics in cancer cells, and other related compounds.
“Thanks to The V Foundation’s incredible support, we have demonstrated that a
new class of drugs, BET bromodomain inhibitors, has significant anti-tumor activity
in a particularly aggressive subgroup of neuroblastoma tumors,” Stegmaier explained.
“These results inspired the ongoing development of an exciting clinical trial testing
BET bromodomain inhibitors in children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma.”
Jim Valvano’s words “Don’t give up... Don’t ever give up!” resonated through
his life, and now serve as The V Foundation’s heartbeat, continuing his legacy of
investment in impactful research. n
Jimmy Fund Golf celebrates 30 years
Members of the Jimmy Fund Golf community were recognized for their exceptional
commitment to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund during the annual Jimmy Fund Golf
Appreciation Night held at The International Golf Club in Bolton, Mass., Feb. 7. The
evening recognized the 30th anniversary of the Jimmy Fund Golf program and an
outstanding 2012 fundraising season, which welcomed 31 new tournaments, celebrated 15 milestone anniversaries, and raised nearly $6.5 million for the Jimmy Fund.
The Ken Coleman Extra Mile Award, named in honor of the former Boston Red Sox
sportscaster, is presented annually to outstanding tournament volunteers. This year’s
award recipients, pictured at right with Jimmy Fund Director Suzanne Fountain (right),
were Melanie King of the Dunkin’ Donuts George Mandell Memorial Golf Tournament (left), which has raised more than $9.5 million since 1998, and Sandy Eskin of
the Jimmy Memorial Golf Tournament, which has raised more than $750,000 since its
inception in 2001.
10
Impact
Spring 2013
Anonymous donor supports
lung cancer research
H
oping to increase scientific research and recognizing the importance it
can play in successfully preventing, treating, and curing devastating diseases like lung cancer, a generous donor wishing to remain anonymous
gave a $1.5 million gift to fund the investigations of Pasi Jänne, MD, PhD, and
his team in the Carole M. and Philip L. Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“Success breeds contribution,” said the donor, who, after being impressed
with the outcomes of his initial investment, has chosen to make a second gift to
Jänne, describing Jänne’s successful
work as “an inspiration.” This gift
supports research that is expected
to lead to clinical studies that will
further define the genetic mutations
that occur in different subtypes
of lung cancer and, in turn,
more effective and personalized
treatments.
“Even though we focus on never
smokers, we hope to find effective
therapies for all individuals,
including former and current
smokers. This gift will help catalyze
these critical studies,” said Jänne. In
the United States alone, lung cancer
is diagnosed in 215,000 people
annually, 15 percent of whom are
never smokers, or people who have
smoked less than 100 cigarettes
in their lifetime. Discoveries over
the years on the backgrounds of
these patients have led to a distinct
A generous anonymous donor made a second,
significant gift to support the efforts of Pasi Jänne,
paradigm shift in looking at lung
MD, PhD, to find more effective therapies for
cancer and recognizing that it is not
current, former, and never smokers.
just one disease, but many different
ones. In turn, Jänne and his team
sub-classify lung cancer based on genetic and biological composition in order to
make an accurate diagnosis and develop successful treatments with the hope of
one day finding cures.
“Success breeds contribution. I couldn’t be more
pleased with Dr. Jänne’s work, and wanted to show
that through a second gift.”
— Anonymous donor to the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology
“I couldn’t be more pleased with Dr. Jänne’s work, and wanted to show that
pleasure through a second gift,” said the donor. Thanks to this gift, Jänne and
his team will continue their innovative research and clinical studies, leading to
a continued sub-classification of lung cancer and disease, and the goal of more
effective treatments and an eventual cure. n
Make your gift online at dana-farber.org/give
Svenson Family’s commitment Salah Foundation’s mission to
to legacy of generosity
give back lives on at Yawkey
propels genomics research
Center for Cancer Care
J
ohn R. Svenson strongly believed that he received the best care possible at
Dana-Farber, and he wanted to express his gratitude. The Svenson family
recently gave a $400,000 gift supporting the John R. Svenson Endowed Fellowship, which they established in his memory in 2008. The fellowship and the
John R. Svenson Classic golf tournament, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in
2012, will enable his legacy to live in perpetuity.
The Svenson Family pictured at a John R. Svenson Classic golf tournament. Their recent $400,000 gift
toward the John R. Svenson Endowed Fellowship supports researchers making breakthroughs in genomics.
“Cancer goes beyond our story,” said John’s wife, Elinor. “We wanted to
support something that could make a difference for a lot of people. It’s thrilling to
see the progress.”
The Svenson Fellowship will fund the important area of genomics, the study
of DNA sequence, structure, and function. Genomics has established normal
patterns for genetic sequences, identifying which abnormalities lead to disease
and how, and will likely help determine which drugs can be used for specific
therapeutic interventions.
The first recipient of the Svenson Fellowship, Joseph Rosenbluh, PhD, studies
cancers harboring mutated APC, an undruggable gene found mutated in most
colorectal cancers, and has identified associated genes essential for these cancers’
survival.
“Our findings have enabled us to match a clinically approved drug to treat
colorectal cancers with this mutation by blocking the other genes,” explained
Rosenbluh, who is working under the guidance of William Hahn, MD, PhD.
Robert Mayer, MD, who was John's oncologist and who will select Svenson
Fellows, commented, “We are so thankful for the generosity of the Svenson family,
which enables us to tap into the enormous potential of genomics and make a
significant difference in the care of our patients.” n
Playing to win: Chefs for Jimmy
Food lovers gathered Jan. 25 at Chez Josef in Agawam, Mass., for the 23rd annual
Chefs for Jimmy event, presented by Winer Levsky Group of UBS Financial Services Inc.
This year’s annual theme was “Winning The Game of Life®, inspired by the popular
game and was held in honor of Neal Webber, a longtime supporter of the Jimmy
Fund. The evening, hosted by the Jimmy Fund Council of Western Mass., featured
dishes prepared by 27 of western New England’s finest chefs, restaurateurs, and
caterers, as well as an opportunity drawing and silent auction. The event raised nearly
$100,000 in unrestricted support.
At the ceremonial check presentation following the event were (above, from left)
event committee member Elizabeth Cohen, Jimmy Fund Special Events Development
Officer Kelly See, event committee member Erin Corriveau, Institute Trustee and event
Co-chair Barbara Sadowsky, event Co-chair Andrew Cohen, Jimmy Fund Director
Suzanne Fountain, event committee member Michelle Depelteau, and event Co-chair
Michael Katz.
T
he James and Beatrice Salah Foundation has made a gift to the Yawkey
Center for Cancer Care, naming the Immuno-Compromised Waiting
Room in Laboratory Services.
The Salah Foundation is committed to supporting basic human needs, and
its board, which is made up of Salah family members, considers its mission a
living tribute to the couple, along with Mr. Salah’s lifelong work and success as
a real estate developer and contractor. The late James Salah made a gift in 2009
to support lung cancer research in the Carole M. and Philip L. Lowe Center for
Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber.
Noreen Salah Burpee, the executive director of the foundation and proud niece
of James and Beatrice, toured the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care with family
members and decided to support it because it enhances Dana-Farber’s ability to
improve its signature delivery of compassionate care and translational medicine.
The decision to name the Immuno-Compromised Waiting Room in Laboratory
Services was an easy one because of its warm atmosphere and important role as
the first stop for a new patient and loved ones. “It felt like the perfect fit for the
mission of the Salah Foundation—a bridge between the microscope and patient
care,” said Salah.
“It was a strategic and emotional decision,” added Salah Burpee. “It is the
philosophy of our family to give back in some capacity, and we are happy to
support Dana-Farber.” n
Uniting Against Lung Cancer
moves creative approaches to
treatment forward
D
ana-Farber research fellows Naveen Kommajosyula, PhD, and Magda
Stumpfova, PhD, and their exemplary research caught the attention of
Uniting Against Lung Cancer (UALC) in its search for rising stars who are
pioneering novel investigations in lung cancer research. UALC has awarded each
investigator $100,000 over a two-year period to continue exploring options in
lung cancer treatment.
Established in 2001, UALC has awarded more than $1.2 million to
Dana-Farber, providing support for early stage projects that have led to nearly
$14 million in subsequent funding. A hallmark of UALC is making possible the
development of preliminary data needed in order to move promising new ideas
forward in a disease area that is critically underfunded.
“We are excited to support early career post-docs at Dana-Farber,” said
Executive Director Linda Wenger. “We are confident they are conducting
innovative research alongside top translational and clinical investigators.”
Kommajosyula is investigating the sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cell
lines to inhibitors targeting PARP1, a protein involved in repairing cancer cells
damaged from chemotherapy. Currently, PARP inhibitors comprise a novel drug
class under development for breast and ovarian cancer, and now the UALC grant
is allowing the extension of their use to the treatment of lung cancer.
Stumpfova is studying ALK and ROS1 positive lung cancers and their
resistance to targeted inhibitors. “Without understanding the biology behind
acquired resistance to crizotinib, one of the most effective lung cancer therapies
available, we are only treating—not curing—these patients,” explains Stumpfova.
“With the help of the UALC award, I am able to explore the possible mechanisms
through which this cancer escapes targeted therapy.” n
Impact
Spring 2013
11
To include Dana-Farber in your estate plans, contact us at 617-632-3756
Hyundai Hope on Wheels
drives research forward
Melanoma fund honors a
legacy of helping others
H
J
yundai Hope on Wheels has been helping children fight cancer for 15
years and continues to make an impact on pediatric care and research at
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Hope on Wheels is supported by Hyundai
Motor America and more than 800
Hyundai dealers across the country.
It recently awarded a $250,000 Hope
Grant over two years to support the
research of Rani George, MD, PhD, to
investigate new, targeted therapies for
patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.
This rare disease has approximately
700 cases a year, and, in the case of a
relapse, has no cure. George’s work
seeks to better understand the ALK tyrosine kinase gene which is mutated in
10 percent of neuroblastoma patients.
“This gift has helped this project to progress along tremendously,” said George.
“We are grateful to Hyundai Hope on Wheels for its funding.”
In addition to the Hope Grant, Alex Kentsis, MD, PhD, received a one-year
$75,000 Scholar Award to investigate the gene PGBD5 and its contribution to
rhabdoid tumors, one of the most rare, aggressive, and lethal forms of childhood
cancer.
“This novel approach to high-risk tumors represents an exciting direction in our
study, and particularly benefits from Hyundai’s support,” said Kentsis, who added
that the Scholar Award would also contribute to his study of mobile DNA, or
“jumping genes,” in rhabdoid tumors, and could lead to much-needed improved
targeted therapies for these high-risk pediatric tumors, as well as a deeper
understanding of the genetics of other tumors. n
B.A.A. Half Marathon team celebrates
10 years of racing toward a cure
ames R. “Jim” Fitzgerald Jr. touched the lives of everyone who knew him.
Known as a terrific son and brother, friend, businessman, and devoted
husband, Jim enjoyed helping others.
“He was that kind of man—mentoring those who worked for him, investing
his time to nurture and support their talents,” said Jim’s wife of more than
40 years, Janet. “He was highly recognized for his talent in team-building,
problem-solving, and mediation.” In 2009, Jim was diagnosed with
melanoma, a form of cancer in the
cells that give skin its natural color.
Often melanoma can be detected
by noticing skin changes, but in
some cases, like Jim’s, physicians are
unable to determine where the cancer
originated.
“Not knowing where the
melanoma started really took us by
surprise,” said Janet.
Sadly, two years after diagnosis,
Janet Fitzgerald with her husband Jim, who
Jim passed away from the disease. To
inspired her gift to fund melenoma research at
honor his legacy, Janet established
Dana-Farber.
the James R. Fitzgerald Jr. Melanoma
Research Fund with a $100,000 gift
supporting Jim’s doctor, Nageatte Ibrahim, MD. Jim spent half of his 38-year
career as a chief financial officer in biotechnology, which spurred his interest in
Dr. Ibrahim’s research.
“Jim had a real interest in biotechnology. We always discussed new melanoma
research,” said Ibrahim. “This fund will further research to investigate new ways
to detect and assess the progression of melanoma.”
Janet hopes that by honoring Jim’s legacy of helping others through support
for melanoma research, patients and families will have new diagnostic and
treatment options in the future. n
Webster Family Fund aims
to improve outcomes for
transplant patients
W
On Oct. 8, nearly 500 Dana-Farber runners donned bright orange singlets, laced
up their shoes, and raced to help conquer cancer in the 11th annual B.A.A. Half
Marathon® presented by Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. From the starting line
in Boston’s Franklin Park, participants took off for the 13.1-mile run through the
hilly terrain of the scenic Emerald Necklace park system. This year marked the 10th
anniversary of Dana-Farber’s B.A.A. Half Marathon team, and runners celebrated the
milestone by raising more than $635,000. To date, the team has raised more than
$3 million for Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
The success of the Dana-Farber B.A.A. Half Marathon team over the years stems, in
part, from the longstanding partnership between Dana-Farber and the B.A.A.
"In the 125-year history of the Boston Athletic Association, we have had few
partnerships as satisfying as our current relationship with Dana-Farber and the Jimmy
Fund," said B.A.A. President Joann Flaminio. "Each October, it brings us great joy to
see so many Dana-Farber singlets in the masses of runners entered in the B.A.A. Half
Marathon. In addition to accomplishing their own personal athletic goals, they are
doing great work in advancing cancer care and research. It's our continued pleasure
to provide a venue for such important efforts."
Above: The 2012 Dana-Farber team gets together before tackling the 13.1-mile course.
12
Impact
Spring 2013
hen John H. Webster was being treated for a recurrence of lymphoma
in 2007, he received an autologous stem cell transplant—a procedure
in which doctors used Webster’s own cells to successfully combat his
cancer. Unfortunately, his cancer returned. After additional radiation failed to keep
Webster’s cancer in remission, he was treated with an allogeneic transplant in 2010,
with cells from a donor. This treatment was effective, but with some side effects.
Because of his personal experiences, Webster was enthusiastic to support Joseph
H. Antin, MD, of Dana-Farber’s Stem Cell Transplantation Program with a gift
of $150,000. Webster hopes that research resulting from his Webster Family
Fund for Transplant Research will help Antin and his team increase the success of
transplants and minimize the long-term side effects of the procedure.
“He does great things!” Webster declared. “These doctors are not just
sitting around. They are working all the time, and looking to be super-successful
in their field. That much
was obvious to me.”
Webster’s gift supports research
aimed at addressing some of the most
complex clinical challenges associated
with the procedure, including
uncovering new ways to reduce the
risk of cancer recurrence, combating
graft-versus-host disease—a serious
and potentially fatal complication of
transplant—and improving outcomes
with unrelated stem cell donors.
“The Webster Family Fund plays a
critical part in our strategy by allowing
us to study new concepts that have
not yet been funded by the National
Institutes of Health or other agencies,”
After years of cancer treatment, John H. Webster
Antin said. “Support from John’s gift
received a successful allogeneic stem cell
transplant in 2010. Webster recently established
will support our continuing efforts
the Webster Family Fund for Transplant Research
to enhance the outcomes of stem cell
at Dana-Farber to support further research.
transplantation.” n
Judith Hale continued from page 1
multidisciplinary investigators, who see pancreatic cancer as a unique research
opportunity and are deeply committed to improving outcomes for patients.
“Pancreatic cancer took my husband from me far
too early. If my gift will make even a dent in the
fight against this miserable disease, I will feel well
rewarded.”
— Institute Trustee Judith B. Hale
Hale asked in making her exceptional gift that she be the first to share the
news with Dr. Fuchs. Hale, accompanied by her children, Robert Hale Jr., and
Elizabeth H. Kendall, opened that conversation by saying that they were there to
help Fuchs in defeating pancreatic cancer. “You already are,” said Fuchs, referring
to the Robert T. Hale Sr. and Judith B. Hale Fund for Pancreatic Research, an
endowed fund that Hale and her husband established in 2007. Hale stated that
the family wanted to do more, and on learning the magnitude of the gift, Fuchs
was momentarily speechless.
“This kind of gift is truly transformative. For them to get past what is a
devastating loss of a husband and a father, and to say we’re going to create this
legacy for the Hale family and make a difference for those who suffer from this
disease in the future is extraordinarily generous and profound in its nature,”
said Fuchs. n
Elhilow family pleased to
give back
N
early a decade ago, Mary Jo Elhilow was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Her husband, Vince, recalls the moment well, “It was just like Yogi
Berra said: ‘one minute you’re on top of the world, and the next the world
is on top of you.’”
The Elhilows began researching treatment options. Though living in Florida,
time and again they were referred by friends to Dana-Farber. In 1993, they made
their first trip to the Institute to meet
with Paul Richardson, MD, clinical
director of Dana-Farber’s Jerome
Lipper Center for Multiple Myeloma,
recently named the R.J. Corman
Professor in Medicine.
“We were immediately impressed by
Dr. Richardson’s caring, empathetic,
and highly knowledgeable approach,”
said Vince.
The Elhilows met with Richardson
four times a year for Mary Jo’s
treatment, resulting in a close
partnership between Richardson and
Mary Jo’s local oncologist.
“Dr. Richardson is always ahead of
Mary Jo’s disease and attentive to her
needs,” said Vince. “We have come to
look forward to our trips to Boston.”
As a result, the Elhilows decided to
express their gratitude with a $100,000
The “empathetic and knowledgeable” care
gift to support Dr. Richardson’s
provided by Paul Richardson, MD, inspired Vince
and Mary Jo Elhilow’s generous gift to support
research.
Richardson’s research.
“Causes don’t raise money. People
do,” said Vince. “It was our absolute
pleasure to support him, and our only hope is that when others learn of our gift,
they too might be inspired to give what they can.”
“Causes don’t raise money. People do. Our only hope
is that when others learn of our gift, they too might
be inspired to give what they can.”
— Vince Elhilow
Foundations team up to
support promising pediatric
cancer research
S
eeking to accelerate breakthroughs in cancer research, the Damon
Runyon Cancer Research Foundation funds early career researchers who
have the drive, energy, and creativity to become the leading innovators in
their fields and have the potential to achieve breakthroughs in how we diagnose,
treat, and prevent cancer.
Recently, the foundation joined forces with the Sohn Conference Foundation
to present Dana-Farber’s Leo Wang,
MD, PhD, with the new Damon
Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer
Research Fellowship Award for
$186,000.
“Damon Runyon partnered
with the Sohn Foundation to create
this award because of the shortage of researchers focusing on childhood and
adolescent cancers. Our goal is to encourage the most promising young scientists
to dedicate themselves to pediatric cancer research,” said Lorraine W. Egan,
president and CEO of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. “We
selected Dr. Wang to receive one of the first Damon Runyon-Sohn Fellowships
because of his innovative work on leukemia stem cells. We think his work could
change the lives of children with leukemia.”
Wang’s research is aimed at understanding the development of novel
therapeutics for the treatment of blood disorders, specifically pediatric acute
myelogenous leukemia (AML).
“We selected Dr. Wang to receive one of the first
Damon Runyon-Sohn Fellowships because of his
innovative work on leukemia stem cells. We think his
work could change the lives of children with
leukemia.”
— Lorraine W. Egan, president and CEO, Damon Runyon Cancer
Research Foundation
“The Damon Runyon and Sohn Foundations are amazing organizations, and
I am deeply honored to have been selected as one of their inaugural Pediatric
Cancer Research Fellows,” said Wang, “Their support has allowed me to do work
with the potential to revolutionize the way we treat blood cancers, by using
cutting-edge technologies available only at places like Dana-Farber to answer
critical questions about how leukemia develops, and how to stop it.” n
SUPPORT THE JIMMY FUND
RunDanaFarber.org/HalfMarathon
“The Elhilows are extraordinary people—the sort who make you excited
to work hard every day,” said Richardson. “They have shown me nothing but
gratitude and graciousness. Their support of our work is tremendous, and in the
current fiscal environment, all the more invaluable.” n
Impact
Spring 2013
13
Generosity on Display:
Donor Ribbon-Cuttings
at the Yawkey Center
N
aming a space at Dana-Farber is a rewarding way for our donors to
permanently link their names to Dana-Farber’s history while supporting
its future. Many of our generous supporters who recently named space
in the Yawkey Center celebrated with family, friends, and faculty at ceremonial
ribbon-cuttings. n
Nuclea Biotechnologies, Inc. continued from page 1
“Nuclea’s support is absolutely essential for research, staff and fellows,
experimental supplies, and developing technology, such as new methods of
molecular diagnostics,” said Loda. “Nuclea’s gift helps translate the efforts in our
lab to patient care.”
Loda and CMOP researchers are currently focused on the metabolic
profiling of tumors. Their research aims to identify new biomarkers in cancerous
tumors, which would classify cancers into subtypes that could be targeted with
specific drugs. By profiling a tumor and identifying its cancer subtype, targeted
treatment could be rapidly administered.
“We truly believe in Dana-Farber’s mission and how
the Institute conducts its research.”
— Patrick Muraca, president and chief executive officer of Nuclea
Connie Rudnick Grayson and her brother Rob Rudnick made a combined gift to fund the renovation of the
lockers in the Mammography Suite at Dana-Farber.
Recently, CMOP researchers collaborated with investigators from DanaFarber’s Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science to determine if a fourprotein signature was associated with aggressive prostate cancer tumors. By
analyzing tumor samples using CMOP’s advanced microscopy system, DanaFarber researchers confirmed that the four-protein pattern is more likely to lead
to aggressive prostate cancer. This work would not have been possible without
Nuclea.
The Paul M. Dowd Chair in Molecular Oncologic Pathology established by
Nuclea is Dana-Farber’s first-ever chair of pathology. For Muraca, the position
is a vital recognition of the field and its tools in the fight against cancer. “It’s
important that diagnostic and prognostic tools are available, and clinically
validated properly,” added Muraca.
The position was named in honor of Paul M. Dowd, founder and president
of the Jimmy Fund Council of Berkshire County since 1980, to recognize his
phenomenal work in supporting those traveling from Berkshire County in
western Massachusetts to Boston for treatment at Dana-Farber.
“This chair acknowledges the commitment and perpetual connection between
Berkshire County and Dana-Farber,” said Muraca. n
First-of-its-kind website will
empower survivors
I
n 1976, when Catherine Goff was just 21 years old, she was treated at DanaFarber for Hodgkin lymphoma. “After treatment ended, I kept thinking, okay
I beat this, now I can get on with my life,” recalls Goff. “I wanted it to be
completely behind me, but the reality is, it isn’t over when it’s over.”
For more than 30 years, Goff’s reality—like that of most survivors—has been
one of constant vigilance.
“Since I knew I was at risk for breast cancer,” she explains, “my primary care
physician and I followed recommended timetables for mammograms.” Three
years ago, those frequent screenings led to the early detection of breast cancer,
saving her life.
Elizabeth and Richard Kendall, pictured here with their children and Elizabeth's mother, Institute Trustee
Judith Hale, supported the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care by naming a nourishment area on the 7th floor
in tribute to Elizabeth's father, Robert T. Hale Sr.
Catherine Goff (third from left) and her children, left to right: Amber Fitch Ream, Noah Fitch, Ben Fitch,
Haley Fitch, and Emily Fitch.
Ken Soscia and his daughters Ariel (left) and Abigail named a nourishment area on the 9th floor of the
Yawkey Center in tribute to his wife Amy Cohen.
14
Impact
Spring 2013
Recognizing that not everyone has access to such life-saving information, Goff
made a $100,000 pledge to Dana-Farber to establish a named fund to build an educational survivorship website. The first-of-its-kind website will provide comprehensive, up-to-date information to Hodgkin lymphoma survivors and their physicians.
“I wanted to give others an opportunity to take control of their health after
treatment,” she said. “Something to keep them up to date about risks when
they’re getting on with their lives.”
Richard Boyajian RN, MS, ANP, clinical director of the Adult Survivorship
Program at Dana-Farber, is supervising the development of the site. Boyajian, a
survivor himself, immediately recognized the need Goff wanted to fill.
“Catherine’s generous gift and the vision behind it present an opportunity for
us to affect the lives of survivors worldwide,” he said. n
To name space at Dana-Farber, contact us at 617-632-2443
Winklers’ unrestricted
Personal experience
bequest honors
motivates gift to ease
financial burden of treatment compassionate care
A
fter two bouts of cancer, Trudi Epstein understands firsthand the enormous stress of undergoing treatment. To get through difficult times, she
credits a combination of superb medical care she received at Dana-Farber
and support of family and friends.
When Trudi was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago, she and her
husband Neil moved from western Massachusetts to Boston for her treatments.
Four years later she was diagnosed
with uterine cancer, and the couple
moved again. During both stays, the
compassionate care Trudi received
helped her through difficult days of
radiation and chemotherapy. In the
evenings, she and Neil found relief
by visiting with friends and attending
cultural events.
As her treatment came to an end,
Trudi decided to make a gift to express
gratitude for the superb care she had
received. Recognizing how fortunate
she was to be able to come to DanaFarber for care, she said, “I wanted
to provide direct relief for patients
struggling with their own journeys
Trudi Epstein established a charitable gift annuity
through treatment.” She and Neil
to help patients who struggle to pay for out-ofmet with Deborah Toffler, MSW,
pocket expenses.
LCSW, director of Patient and Family
Programs and Services at Dana-Farber,
who described the financial burden of cancer on patients who struggle to pay for
transportation, parking, and myriad additional out-of-pocket expenses associated
with a cancer diagnosis.
To help patients seeking the same superb care at Dana-Farber that she had
experienced, Trudi established a $100,000 charitable gift annuity (CGA) to
support patient assistance efforts. A CGA is established when a monetary
contribution is made to Dana-Farber and, in return, the Institute pays the
annuitant who made the gift—or another person of their choosing—a fixed
income for life. “Patients and families are deeply grateful for our ability to help
them come to Dana-Farber for treatment,” said Toffler. “Trudi’s generous gift will
have a powerful impact for a long time to come.” n
Voices Against Brain Cancer
Supports Genomic Research
W
hen Gary Lichtenstein, 24, passed away from glioblastoma in 2003,
his family chose to honor his memory by forming Voices Against
Brain Cancer, a foundation dedicated to finding a cure for brain
tumors by supporting innovative research that will have the greatest impact on
patients and their families.
“When my son was battling his disease, he said, ‘Dad, you need to find a cure,’”
said Mario Lichtenstein, founder of Voices Against Brain Cancer. “Children think
parents have a magic wand and can fix anything, but we don’t. The work the
foundation does stems from that, because the only way to cure a disease is through
research.”
Voices Against Brain Cancer recently awarded Dana-Farber’s Rameen
Beroukhim, MD, PhD, a $100,000 grant to conduct a genomic analysis of an
aggressive type of brain tumor called
anaplastic meningioma. Meningiomas
are the most common type of brain
tumor, found in approximately one in
500 people. Although typically cured
by surgery, up to 20 percent recur.
Beroukhim will sequence the genomes
of several anaplastic meningioma
tumors to identify all of the mutations
present in the tumors.
“I am extremely grateful to
Voices Against Brain Cancer for the
opportunity to conduct this important
research, which will help us determine
how genetic mutations cause the dysfunction of meningioma cells and develop
new therapies to treat this type of brain tumor,” Beroukhim said. n
W
hen Dick and Prim Winkler’s son was diagnosed with multiple
myeloma at the age of 51 in 2001, he elected to travel from Maine
to Dana-Farber for treatment. Soon after, the Winklers added DanaFarber to their estate plans.
The Winklers respected DanaFarber’s commitment to finding the
cures using best-in-class research,
extending lives, and improving the
quality of life for those currently
fighting cancer. With no known cures
for multiple myeloma at the time, the
Winklers’ son passed away in 2004,
but he was still able to see his children
graduate high school and go on to
college—a time he cherished.
“My parents wanted to help doctors
and nurses to pursue their passion, to
help people, and make a difference
in the world as a result of their gift,”
daughter Tenley O’Shaughnessy said.
Prim and Dick Winkler included Dana-Farber in
“They also gave because they believed
their estate plans, leaving an unrestricted gift
Dana-Farber is the best in its field.”
for more than $550,000 to be used where it is
The Winklers’ philosophy of giving
needed most.
also applied to how they raised their
family. According to O’Shaughnessy,
“They believed one of the greatest pleasures in life is the process of attaining your
dreams, not by having things handed to you, but simply experiencing the joy in
working hard to achieve personal goals.” Toward that end, they gave their own
family the chance to realize their dreams by supporting their education and good
health, and they gave the same gift to other families by directing their charitable
giving in a similar way.
“My parents gave because they believed Dana-Farber
is the best in its field.”
— Tenley O’Shaughnessy, daughter of Dick and Prim Winkler
The Winklers made charitable contributions throughout their lives, but felt
making a big gift at the end of their lives would have the greatest impact. Their
unrestricted bequest of more than $550,000 allows the Institute to direct the
funds where they are needed most.
“Unrestricted gifts, like the bequest from the Winklers, provide us with the
flexibility to pursue the most promising research and care initiatives, in real time,”
said Dana-Farber President and CEO Edward J. Benz Jr., MD. “We are grateful
for their generous support of our lifesaving mission.” n
13
Massachusetts
Step up to the plate.
make a difference.
order your OFFICIAL
BOSTON RED SOX/JIMMY FUND
LICENSE PLATE today.
Jimmyfund.org/plate2013
Impact
Spring 2013
15
Impact
Spring 2013
ana-Farber Cancer Institute
D
Division of Development & The Jimmy Fund
10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor
Brookline, MA 02445-7226
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Dana-Farber
THANKING THOSE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
dana-farber.org and jimmyfund.org
ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
MIT Police Office Sean Collier was honored by the Boston Red Sox during a special ceremony at
Fenway Park April 20.
June
Thru
July 18
4–6
Stop & Shop Triple Winner Game
Give $1 at the register at your
local Stop & Shop to receive
a promotion card with great
prizes and the satisfaction of
supporting the Stop & Shop
Family Pediatric Brain Tumor
Clinic at Dana-Farber. To learn more contact Catherine Hsieh
at 617-582-7724 or catherine_hsieh@dfci.harbard.edu.
June 2
– July 7
A Chance for Kids & Families
SM
Give $1 at the register at participating retailers, and receive
a promotion card with a guaranteed prize, proving that everyone’s a winner when you support
Dana-Farber’s fight against cancer.
• Old Navy June 2–29
• Aubuchon Hardware June 3–July 7
To learn more contact Ryan Delaney at 617-582-9675
or ryan_delaney@dfci.harvard.edu.
4
12th Annual Jimmy Memorial
Golf Tournament
From the radio broadcast that
launched the Jimmy Fund in
1948, to countless appearances
at Jimmy Fund events, Einar
Gustafson—the original
“Jimmy”—was an inspiration to
many. Join us in honoring Jimmy’s legacy at Juniper Hill
Golf Course in Northborough, Mass. To learn more contact
Kaitlyn Fitzgibbons at 617-632-4569 or visit jfgolf.org/
jimmymemorial.
Boston Strong: The family of Sean Collier, the MIT
Police officer who lost his life in the wake of the Boston
Marathon bombings, has honored us by asking that gifts
in Sean’s memory be made to the Jimmy Fund. To make a
gift please visit jimmyfund.org/SeanCollier. In addition, a
friend of Sean’s family has formed Team Collier to fundraise
in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, and encourages
the public to join them. To register or learn more, visit
jimmyfundwalk.org/2013/teamcollier.
Dig into summer’s coolest
way to fight cancer! The
nation’s largest all-youcan-eat ice cream festival
features entertainment,
music, and more, Tues. –
Thurs., noon to 8 p.m. at
Boston City Hall Plaza. To
learn more contact Nora
Loughney at 617-632-3613
or visit scooperbowl.org.
June 7
– July 25
Jimmy Fund Theatre Collections
Each summer since 1949, patrons
at National Amusements and other
participating movie theatres have
given generously to the Jimmy Fund
when volunteers pass collection
canisters down the aisles. You
can help! To volunteer, please visit
jimmyfund.org/volunteer or email
jimmyfundevents@dfci.harvard.edu.
15
July
Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl®
Presented by FedEx
John Hancock Fenway Fantasy Day
to benefit the Jimmy Fund
Live out your baseball dreams
by batting or fielding in
Boston’s historic Fenway Park
while teaming up with the
Jimmy Fund to strike
out cancer! To register or learn
more contact Emma Green
at 617-582-8342 or visit
jimmyfundfantasyday.org.
July–
August
Jimmy Fund Little League Program
Presented by Extra Innings
More than 5,000 Little
League players throughout New England enjoy
an extended season
while learning philanthropy and raising vital funds for the Jimmy Fund. For more
information contact Kelsey Duggan at 617-632-3863 or visit
jimmyfund.org/little-league.
12–13 Swim Across America
Dive in and support the
David B. Perini, Jr. Quality
of Life Clinic at DanaFarber. Join the Boston
Harbor Islands Swim July
12, a 22-mile, relay-style event, or join swimmers ages 12
and older in a half-mile recreational or one-mile competitive
swim July 13 at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Mass. For more
information, contact Kelly Lauriat at 617-632-5091 or visit
jimmyfund.org/swim.
13–14
The Mass Dash Relay
Run across Massachusetts in
this 200-mile, non-stop relay
along the beautiful, scenic
course from Lanesboro,
Mass., to Boston, to benefit
the Jimmy Fund. New this
year, an 85-mile “Half
Dash.” For more information, contact Cara Mitchell
at 617-632-3620 or visit massdashrelay.org.
For more information on all Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber events, go to jimmyfund.org or dana-farber.org.

Nuclea Biotechnologies helps innovative pathology research move

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