Events and fundraisers

In 2000, Berdon Lawrence, a member of MD Anderson's Board of Visitors, and his wife, Rolanette, gave $2 million to establish the Bone Disease Program of Texas. A milestone in collaborations between MD Anderson and Baylor College of Medicine, the program focuses on bone disease research. Some 10 million people suffer from bone disease in the United States.

Recently, the two institutions announced the Lawrences' additional $4 million gift to the program to help expand clinical care and research into the area of bone disease. In honor of their commitment, advocacy and support, John Mendelsohn, M.D., president of MD Anderson, announced the program's new name: the Rolanette and Berdon Lawrence Bone Disease Program of Texas.

Through the generosity of the Lawrences and the hard work of those involved in the program, MD Anderson and Baylor have established core facilities enabling microCT scanning for small bones, histologic analysis of bone samples and other services. In addition, the program has funded numerous research grants, attracting scientists from outside the field of bone research whose expertise has in turn led to the program's steady growth. 

Future plans include expanding the annual awards and clinical programs and recruiting additional research facility.