We primarily fund progressive pancreatic cancer research initiatives and compassionate care programs for pancreatic cancer patients.
Funding from organizations like ours is critical to maintaining enough grass-roots research momentum to make a difference in the fight against this horrific disease. Our funding is typically directed towards translational research and conceptual out-of-the-box research that creates the data and paves the way for larger and more sustained grants. The translational research is intended to move treatment options to the patient as quickly as possible while the conceptual research could be considered ‘grass roots’ research by highly talented scientists who may unearth the next breakthrough. Sometimes we also fund small clinical research or trials which are continuations of the translational or conceptual research.
Translational research takes scientific discoveries made in laboratories, clinics, and in the field and looks for ways to transform them into new treatments and approaches to care. It’s moving knowledge from basic sciences to clinical settings. Because of the relative speed at which translational research can be beneficially applied, it’s sometimes known as “bench-to-bedside” research.
Compassionate care support for a pancreatic cancer patient can include many different things. By definition, compassionate care is sympathetic and responsive care from people who genuinely care about the patient and try to make the patient as comfortable, secure and supported as possible during treatment. In practical terms, examples of compassionate care in an oncology setting can include, but are not limited to the following:
Since our first event in 2015 prior to creating a non-profit, your generosity has enabled us to distribute over $330,000 towards research and compassionate care. Our funding has contributed to real research advances and provided critical assistance to pancreatic cancer patients. Primary recipients have included:
The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health (SKCC) became an NCI-Designated Cancer Center in 1996. The SKCC mission is to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families through innovation, compassion, and breakthrough technology. SKCC offers experience in all aspects of cancer from the laboratory to the clinic. The expertise of physicians, scientists, staff, and other health care professionals places SKCC at the forefront of cancer research and care.
SKCC provides access to advanced clinical trials and comprehensive treatment strategies for patients throughout the Delaware Valley via 14 sites in Center City Philadelphia, South Jersey, Northeast Philadelphia, and the northern suburbs of Philadelphia. SKCC also has agreements with 20 SKCC network affiliate sites.
At its main academic site in Center City, SKCC enrolls nearly 19% of patients on clinical trials, making it one of the highest trial enrollment rates in the country. A unique collaboration with the Sarah Cannon Research Institute has expanded clinical trial options to patients in the Philadelphia area and beyond. [1]
In 2021, $36,500 of funding was provided to The Pancreas, Biliary, & Related Cancer Center at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson University, an NCI-designated facility. Funding supports research to improve early detection of pancreatic cancer and develop more effective screening procedures. This facility is leading investigations into genetic, environmental, and lifestyle links to pancreatic and related cancers, including novel approaches to individualized therapy based on molecular genetic features of tumors.
At St. Luke’s Cancer Center, patients will receive coordinated care – meaning that all of our services will be delivered in a coordinated manner to provide the best quality and outcomes.
Patients will:
Be supported throughout your journey: armed with information, resources and experts to deliver the best treatment plan for your particular cancer type and stage.In 2021, $5,000 of funding was provided to St. Luke’s Cancer Center for “Compassionate Care” distribution to financially compromised pancreatic cancer patients to cover costs such as transportation, utilities, etc.
Fox Chase is a renowned leader in pancreatic cancer detection and treatment and is the only cancer center in the Philadelphia region to be designated as both a Clinical and Academic Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer by the National Pancreas Foundation.
The Institute’s vision is built on finding new ways to extend the lives of pancreatic cancer patients and uncovering pancreatic cancer earlier (with the hope of one day finding a cure).
At the Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute, a multidisciplinary team of researchers and physicians work together to develop innovative ideas to disrupt pancreatic cancer metabolism/the connective tissue stroma reaction (desmoplasia) that promotes immunosuppression. They also work towards nominating new targets for drug development. In addition to a world-class basic science program, the Institute boasts an active translational research program (research that can be taken to the clinic) and an active clinical research team that has focused on the concept of neoadjuvant therapy (presurgical therapy) for those with pancreatic cancer.
In 2021, $28,500 of funding was provided to Fox Chase Cancer Center for Research.
[1] Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health, National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, 1 June 2021, www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find/jeffersonkimmel.
