The V Foundation for Cancer Research Celebrates a Record-Setting Year of Impact in Research Funding
Over $44 Million Awarded to 76 Research Teams
CARY, NC (November 12, 2024) – The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer charity, celebrated a year of highlights in the cancer research space, including 76 new grant awards totaling over $44 million, the highest amount granted in its history in a single year. The past year also included groundbreaking partnerships and significant investment in programs to address inequities in cancer research. In total, the V Foundation has awarded nearly $400 million across 1,334 cancer research grants since its founding in 1993.
“This record-breaking year is a testament to how many people believe in the V Foundation’s unwavering vision of Victory Over Cancer®,” said Shane Jacobson, Chief Executive Officer at the V Foundation. “Our team is first-in-class, and this would not be possible without the generous investment of donors, corporate partners and supporters. In the last four years alone, we’ve generated 34% of our total grant award funding across our 31-year history, allowing us to accelerate breakthroughs and save lives faster than ever before.”
The year was marked by a wide range of successes:
- Dolphins Cancer Challenge: The V Foundation, Dolphins Cancer Challenge (DCC) and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center committed to a collective 10-year, $30 million investment dedicated to game-changing cancer research, representing the largest fundraising partnership in the history of the V Foundation.
- A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research: Fifteen exceptional women scientists were selected for their groundbreaking cancer research studies, with the V Foundation awarding $10.2 million this year – and a total of $18.6 million since the program’s start in 2023. The grant program promotes equity within the science community and serves as a premier supporter of advancing woman-led laboratories, research projects and discoveries in the cancer research field.
- Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund: A peak year for the Stuart Scott Fund, which focuses on addressing racial disparities in cancer research and supporting researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. In the past year, the fund has granted $3.6 million, including an award to Elizabeth Wasmuth, Ph.D., who was named the Abeloff V Scholar, which designates the highest rated V Scholar proposal of the year from the V Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee. The Stuart Scott Fund also received a special call-to-action during the 2024 ESPYS which commemorated the 10th anniversary of Stuart Scott accepting the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
“I am incredibly honored that the V Foundation has recognized scientifically inclusive approaches to better understand notoriously challenging targets in hormone receptor-driven cancers,” said Elizabeth Wasmuth, Ph.D. “This prestigious award will open doors for my lab to perform the high risk, high reward research necessary to find innovative strategies to combat the elusive shape shifters that define these family of diseases.”
- Hockey Fights Cancer: Last season, Hockey Fights Cancer, an NHL and NHLPA initiative to unite the hockey community in the fight against cancer, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a record-breaking fundraising year. In the first season with the V Foundation as the official charitable fundraising partner of Hockey Fights Cancer, $2.9 million was raised to directly fund lifesaving research through 10 grants in the U.S. and Canada.
- Breakthrough progress and discoveries by V-funded researchers, including:
- Kimberley Stegmaier and her team at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found a promising approach to addressing neuroblastoma by targeting groups of proteins that control which genes are turned on and off in a cell. These proteins are important in helping cells grow and function every day. However, if they are not working properly, they can cause cells to go into overdrive, leading to cancer formation. Dr. Stegmaier aims to disrupt the activity of these proteins in neuroblastoma cells to stop the cancer’s growth. This could improve survival rates and quality of life for pediatric patients, offering new hope in the fight against this tough disease.
- Michael Haffner and his team at Fred Hutch Cancer Center discovered that traditional treatment methods don’t fully address the variety of cancer cell types found in a tumor, especially in advanced prostate cancer. By analyzing prostate cancer cells from patients and mice, they found different types of cells showing up, even within the same tumor. This means that a treatment targeting one type of cancer cell might miss others. Dr. Haffner’s research is allowing for better snapshots of what tumors look like and will help lead to more personalized treatments and improved outcomes.
“V Foundation-funded researchers continue to bring forward the most cutting-edge ideas, and the impact they are making across all cancer types is evident through the groundbreaking publications and studies they produce year after year,” said Susanna Greer, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at the V Foundation. “The grantees are leaders in their field, diving deep into the most complex challenges of this disease. Their findings are truly lifesaving and will benefit patients for generations to come.”
Researchers funded by the V Foundation have collectively, throughout their careers, been connected to over 1,000 clinical trials and have received over 5,500 grants that have generated over $20 billion in research dollars.
“We are so proud to continue making a proven, positive impact across the cancer research landscape by investing in world-class scientists studying all cancer types,” said Lauren Hall, Chief Development Officer at the V Foundation. “The V Foundation commits 100% of direct donations to cancer research, every penny of every dollar, so donors and partners can give with the utmost confidence that we are the best stewards of their gifts.”
The V Foundation holds 12 consecutive 4-star (highest) ratings from Charity Navigator, America’s largest evaluator of charities, placing the foundation among the top 2% of all charities evaluated. The V Foundation has also earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar).
To learn more or to donate, please visit www.v.org.
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About the V Foundation for Cancer Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach, ESPN commentator and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The V Foundation has funded nearly $400 million in game-changing cancer research grants in North America through a competitive process strictly supervised by a world-class Scientific Advisory Committee. Because the V Foundation has an endowment to cover administrative expenses, 100% of direct donations is awarded to cancer research and programs. The V team is committed to funding the best scientists to accelerate Victory Over Cancer® and save lives. To learn more, visit v.org.
Media Contact:
Alexandra Paterson
apaterson@v.org
