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Take a Leap of Faith in support of cancer research.

What would you do with an extra day with someone you knew who had cancer?  This year we are blessed to have have Wednesday, February 29, 2012.  It’s Leap Year, and UCCRF Auxiliary Board will donate to fund research into childhood blood cancers (Jill de Jong, MD, PhD), head and neck cancers, (Michael Spiotto, MD, PhD), and bladder, kidney, prostate and testicular cancers, (Peter O'Donnell, MD).

In lieu of our traditional spring benefit, we are sending you a letter asking you to participate.  Your generous contribution is 100% tax deductable.  Every dollar raised will go towards funding  leading- edge diagnostics and innovative, individualized cancer treatments that our UCCRF Auxiliary Board doctor's are recognized world wide.  Please join us and together we can make an investment in saving lives.  What a remarkable way to spend an extra day!  Click here to read the full letter.

Our Mission

 

The mission of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Auxiliary Board is to be investors in innovation by giving unrestricted grants to establish much-needed research programs at the Foundation, which work toward the prevention, early detection, and treatment of the scores of diseases which we collectively call cancer.

 


Our Story

The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Auxiliary Board was founded in 1951 by North Shore resident, Stephanie Howell. She and her friends raised $3000 in their first year. The Board was incorporated in 1959 as an official auxiliary of the UCCRF. Since its inception, the Auxiliary Board has raised over almost $3 million for cancer research for the Foundation. In 2006, the Board was named as a recipient of the University's coveted Harper's Society Award for its fundraising efforts.

Today's board is comprised of 22 women who actively work towards raising funds for the three doctors selected to be underwritten. Each doctor receives funds for three years. There are also approximately 20 sustaining and honorary members of the Auxiliary.

In 2008, the Board provided $129,000 to support the efforts of three doctors actively involved in cancer research: Drs. Ernst Lengyel, Samuel Volchenboum and Tara Henderson. Dr. Lengyel is dedicated to furthering understanding of ovarian cancer growth and metastasis. Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate of all gynecologic tumors and is the 5th leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. Dr. Volchenboum is an expert in pediatric cancers. His special interest is in treating children with neuroblastoma, a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. Dr. Henderson is also involved in pediatric oncology. Her primary focus is in screening for second cancers following childhood cancer. Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of developing secondary cancers, due in part, to exposure to radiotherapy.

The UCCRFAB is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.