Moon Shots Program

How team science aims to beat cancer

MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program is an unprecedented, comprehensive assault to significantly reduce deaths from cancer. The program comprises six teams of MD Anderson researchers and clinicians initially focusing on
these eight cancers:

Each moon shot team is pursuing innovative projects prioritized for greatest patient impact, from basic and translational research to biomarker-driven clinical trials. Specialized platforms provide infrastructure, systems and strategy. The ultimate goal is to apply knowledge gained from this process to all cancers. Moon shot efforts will help support all other cancer research at MD Anderson, particularly with improved resources and infrastructure. Funding is from private philanthropy, institutional earnings, competitive research grants and commercialization of new discoveries.

As of April 30, private philanthropic commitments to the program total more than $163.3 million.

For more information on the Moon Shots Program, please visit www.cancermoonshots.org.

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Kimmie Rhodes, of Austin, is a singer and writer whose songs have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Peter Frampton and many others. She was married to producer-writer-musician Joe Gracey for 28 years before he succumbed to metastatic esophageal cancer in 2011. Diagnosed with oral cancer in 1977, Gracey was cancer-free for 30 years following surgeries at MD Anderson, though he lost his ability to speak and sing. Here, Rhodes reflects on her late husband and the hope they both found at MD Anderson.