V Foundation

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, announces awarding $29 million for cutting-edge cancer research in 2019. The total grant funding by the Foundation is now more than $250 million. The highly competitive grant-making process is overseen by the V Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee, made up of world-class researchers from leading cancer centers. This rigorous process ensures proposals meet the highest standards of scientific merit.

			The V Foundation awarded 26 V Scholar Grants in 2019. V Scholar Grants advance innovative young scientists establishing their research careers and provide them a competitive edge to earn additional funding from other sources. Each V Scholar Grant is a $200,000, two-year commitment. Four V Scholars were funded through the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. V Scholars supported through the Stuart Scott Fund are early-career investigators who are either minority themselves or working to solve health challenges faced by minorities with cancer.

			“I am thrilled to be selected for the V Scholar Grant as an early-stage investigator,” said Viviana Risca, Ph.D., a V Scholar Grant recipient. “The recognition and infusion of financial support it represents will serve as a major boost for my group's research into the way sarcoma cells respond to therapy that arrests their ability to divide.”

			In 2019, the V Foundation awarded 17 Translational Grants. Translational Grants fund projects that bring cancer research from the bench to the bedside. Translational Grants are $600,000 awards distributed over three years. Moving forward,the V Foundation will name two top translational research grants each year in honor of former V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano and former Scientific Advisory Committee Chair Robert Bast, M.D. The awards honor Valvano and Bast for their many years of service to the V Foundation.

			“The V Foundation supports some of the country’s most promising young cancer researchers as they begin their careers exploring ways to better understand cancer and how to stop it,” said William Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the V Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee, Marion I. Knott Professor of Oncology and Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “Through thoughtful investments in the right people and projects, the V Foundation is propelling progress. For the patient, that means better ways to detect cancers, more treatment options and a better chance at long-term survival.”

			The V Foundation holds a 4-star (highest) rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest evaluator of charities, and is among the top 3% of all charities evaluated. The V Foundation is a GuideStar platinum-rated charity.

			For more information about the V Foundation, its grants program, the Scientific Advisory Committee or to donate, please visit 

			Editor’s Notes: A complete list of the 2019 grant recipients can be found 

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 and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $250 million in cancer research grants nationwide. The V Foundation awards 100% of direct donations to cancer research and programs. The V Foundation’s endowment covers administrative expenses. The Foundation awards peer-reviewed grants through a competitive award process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on the V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit 

Articles

Top Translational Grants Named for Former CEO Nick Valvano, Former Scientific Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Robert Bast.
 

$29 Million Awards by the V Foundation in 2019; All-Time Grant Total More Than $250 Million

 (November 22, 2019) — The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, is excited to announce Olympic Gold Medalist 

will return to the ice on November 24 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN for the fourth annual ‘Scott Hamilton & Friends.’  On Sunday, the biggest names in figure skating will perform to songs performed live by the greatest names in music. The event will raise funds for The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, funding cancer research, including $200,000 benefiting the V Foundation.

“I have some truly amazing friends that will come together for a night unlike any other — incredible music and figure skating performances combined for a night that celebrates the ‘80s while raising money for cancer research,” said Hamilton. 

Co-hosting the evening with Hamilton is nine-time GRAMMY Award winner 

. Crow and Hamilton, both cancer survivors, will be joined on stage for performances by GRAMMY winning artist 

, backed by highly acclaimed Nashville touring, recording and songwriting veterans, 

“Working with Scott and the team at Scott Hamilton CARES is an absolute privilege and joy,” said Susan Braun, Chief Executive Officer of the V Foundation. “Their creativity captures our minds, and their commitment to cancer patients and research captures our hearts.&#8239;This partnership helps us both put outstanding science into motion — so we can put an end to cancer.”&#8239;

The event will pair these live music performances with ice skating from the biggest names in the field. Performances will include Olympic Ice Dancing Gold Medalists and 

Proceeds from the concert benefit Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, which supports the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats the cancer while sparing the patient. For more information, visit 

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $250 million in cancer research grants nationwide. The V Foundation awards 100% of direct donations to cancer research and programs. The V Foundation’s endowment covers administrative expenses. The Foundation awards peer-reviewed grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on the V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit 

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, is excited to announce Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton will return to the ice on November 24 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN for the fourth annual ‘Scott Hamilton & Friends.'

4th Annual 'Scott Hamilton and Friends' Benefits The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation for Funding Cancer Research with Partial Proceeds Benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, and ESPN are excited to announce the 2019 ESPY Week raised significant dollars for cancer research. Events during the week included the 15

 annual ESPYS Auction, the fifth annual Sports Humanitarian Awards and the 19

 annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic. Also included in the fundraising total is a donation from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Donations from ESPY Week will benefit the V Foundation, with the Sports Humanitarian Awards and ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic specifically supporting the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. ESPN and the V Foundation are united in their commitment to achieve Victory Over Cancer®.    

“Victory Over Cancer® is a mighty goal that takes a strong team to achieve,” said Susan Braun, CEO of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. “The V Foundation is so grateful to every donor and participant for helping us move forward toward that goal. Special thanks to all the employees at ESPN whose creative energy and unerring support make us successful during ESPY week and throughout the year."

The 2019 ESPYS were hosted by Tracy Morgan and presented by Capital One. As mentioned, contributions from this year’s Sports Humanitarian Awards and ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic will benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, which funds minority researchers and supports investigators studying cancer disparities among minorities. The fund was created in loving remembrance of Stuart Scott, a longtime ESPN anchor and V Foundation supporter. New at the Sports Humanitarian Awards was the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award sponsored by Anthem Foundation, also in support of the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. This award celebrates the legendary sports icon’s commitment to leadership and service, and it honors high school and college-aged students who, like Billie Jean King, use sports to improve their communities.

"Under the leadership of the V Foundation, in partnership with ESPN, we continue to believe that the fight against cancer is being WON by research,” said Taelor and Sydni Scott, Stuart Scott’s daughters.  “We are particularly inspired by the impact that this research is making in closing the gap in health disparities for families like ours. For those who are in the fight or love someone who is, just know that you are not invisible and you are not alone. … The fight belongs to us all!"

Bristol-Myers Squibb has been very generous year after year supporting cancer research funded by the V Foundation.  This year on the red carpet, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced a $1.2 million contribution to the Robin Roberts Thrivership Fund. The fund supports research for the biomedical needs of cancer survivors. In addition, Bristol-Myers Squibb was the presenting sponsor of the Sports Humanitarian Awards, which celebrates and honors leagues, teams, individuals and members of the sporting community that use the power of sport to make a positive impact on society.

“Cancer survivorship is now coming to the forefront,” said Robin Roberts, a V Foundation Board member and cancer survivor. “While cancer prevention and treatment are critical, helping survivors thrive is also important.  I’m thrilled to be part of the V Foundation team in making this happen.”

For more information about the V Foundation, please visit 

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $225 million in cancer research grants nationwide. The V Foundation awards 100% of direct donations to cancer research and programs. The V Foundation’s endowment covers administrative expenses. The Foundation awards peer-reviewed grants through a competitive award process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on the V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit 

The V Foundation announces multiple initiatives that contribute to ESPY Week fundraising success.

The V Foundation, ESPN Announce Sixth Annual ESPY Week A Tremendous Success

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, is excited to announce a $600,000 grant has been awarded to Leonard Zon, M.D., at Boston Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation (ACCRF). Zon is evaluating a treatment for a salivary gland cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

"We are thrilled to team up with the V Foundation to find improved therapies for a patient population with a difficult prognosis and no approved drugs,” said Jeffrey Kaufman, Executive Director of ACCRF. “Without the support of the V Foundation, this innovative and promising attempt to repurpose an already-approved generic drug simply wouldn’t be happening.”

The Translational Grant is a three-year grant of $200,000 per year. These grants support “bench to bedside” research, whose endpoint is often planning or initiation of a clinical trial. Zon recently found retinoic acid treatment reduces the growth of adenoid cystic carcinomas. Retinoic acid has the ability to shut down the cause of the cancer, which is due to the overactivity of a gene called c-myb. Zon and his team will examine whether retinoic acid, which has been successfully given to patients with a rare type of leukemia, is active in the tumor and whether the growth of the tumor is reduced. Zon’s studies have the possibility of finding the first treatment for this metastatic tumor.

“As a physician-scientist, my goal is to move our basic research to improve the lives of patients,” said Zon. “We look forward to translating our discovery in the zebrafish model that found a drug (retinoic acid) that shuts down the oncogene (myb) in adenoid cystic carcinoma. We thank the V Foundation for the wonderful support and opportunity to work with us to help our patients.”

ACCRF was founded in 2005 to jumpstart a global, cutting-edge research effort for ACC research. Since then, they have awarded $13 million dollars for basic, translational and clinical research geared towards finding better therapies for ACC patients. ACC is a cancer that arises within secretory glands, typically originating in the head and neck region. ACCRF-affiliated researchers are undertaking extensive studies to understand how to interfere with the molecular pathways that permit myb to spur tumor growth.

“Dr. Zon’s research could have significant impact on the thousands of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma,” said Carole Wegner, Ph.D., HCLD, Sr. Vice President of Research and Grants Administration for the V Foundation. “We are excited to partner with ACCRF and hope that this research could help create an effective therapy to target this disease.”

The V Foundation has proudly awarded more than $225 million for cutting-edge cancer research. The V Foundation holds a 4-star (highest) rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest evaluator of charities, and is among the top 3% of all charities evaluated. The V Foundation is a GuideStar Platinum charity.

For more information about the V Foundation for Cancer Research, please visit 

About the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation (ACCRF)

ACCRF was founded by patients in 2005 to accelerate the development of improved therapies and a cure for a rare cancer of secretory glands. The foundation coordinates and facilitates a research agenda that spans biobanking, model development, genomics, drug discovery, preclinical drug screening and clinical trial design. For more information on ACCRF or to make a donation, please visit 

$600,000 grant awarded over three years at Boston Children’s Hospital.

V Foundation | Contributors

$29 Million Awards by the V Foundation in 2019; All-Time Grant Total More Than $250 Million

4th Annual 'Scott Hamilton and Friends' Benefits The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation for Funding Cancer Research with Partial Proceeds Benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research

The V Foundation, ESPN Announce Sixth Annual ESPY Week A Tremendous Success

V Foundation Announces Translational Grant Awarded in Partnership with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation

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