Spring 2018

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By MD Anderson Staff

As the Official Cancer Center of the PGA TOUR®, MD Anderson has a national platform to advance its mission to end cancer, help spectators understand and manage cancer risk, and raise funds for critical cancer research and programs.

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MD Anderson’s IACS team of drug discovery and development scientists aim to identify the next generation of cancer medicines, move them into clinical trials and get them into clinical practice.

My Moon Shot

Philip Jones, Ph.D., worked in drug discovery for 15 years at Merck Research Laboratories at several sites across the globe before joining MD Anderson in 2012. He received a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and completed post-doctoral research at Philipps-Universitat Marburg, Germany. As Vice President for Therapeutics Discovery and head of drug discovery at the Institute for Applied Cancer Science (IACS), Jones leads a team of drug discovery and development scientists who aim to identify the next generation of cancer medicines, move them into clinical trials and get them into clinical practice.

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On Feb. 23, 2017, Juanita began experiencing severe pain in her right pelvic area, frequent urination and bloating. Doctors in San Diego found a softball-size tumor and recommended immediate surgery. She flew to Houston for an appointment with Charles Levenback, M.D., professor, Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine. Levenback diagnosed stage III ovarian cancer and scheduled surgery.

Survivors Say: Juanita Morris, ovarian cancer survivor

Juanita Morris splits her time between Houston and San Diego. Although she knew of MD Anderson as a world-renowned hospital, she never expected to become a patient. On Feb. 23, 2017, Juanita began experiencing severe pain in her right pelvic area, frequent urination and bloating. Doctors in San Diego found a softball-size tumor and recommended immediate surgery. She flew to Houston for an appointment with Charles Levenback, M.D., professor, Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine. Levenback diagnosed stage III ovarian cancer and scheduled surgery. Once Juanita had recovered from the successful surgery, Levenback put her on a course of chemotherapy for 18 weeks. A year later, Juanita feels like her old self again. Here, she reflects on the strength that carried her through treatment.

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iPromise: Todd Stewart

In November 2017, Brenda Stewart and her son, Todd, of Houston, donated $3,600 to MD Anderson in loving memory of husband and father Tommy “Steve” Stewart. Their annual donation will supply the coffee bar on the G16 inpatient leukemia unit, where Steve was a patient on and off for three years.

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Cancer survivor creates clutches for a cause

Susan Tancer was diagnosed with brain cancer in June 2004. An online search for clinical trials led her to MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she met Raymond Sawaya, M.D., professor, Neurosurgery.

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Getting to know Pat Bodin, MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors member

A member of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV) for 10 years, Pat Bodin is a passionate supporter of MD Anderson’s cancer prevention and control platform, a key component of the Moon Shots Program™, including its EndTobacco™ initiative and the first Texas Tobacco Summit in June 2014.

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Over the past 10 years, Southwest Airlines’ Medical Transportation Grant Program has provided travel to nonprofit hospitals and medical transportation organizations across the country. Approximately 750 round-trip flights are offered each year to benefit MD Anderson cancer patients and their families. The program helps to reduce the financial burden of cancer patients who travel to MD Anderson for cancer treatment.

Southwest Airlines provides transportation for cancer patients and their families

MD Anderson's donated transportation helps ease burden on cancer patients

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Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) and Sunoco LP toured Pediatrics at MD Anderson during a visit to present a check for $1 million. ETP has given $2.5 million to MD Anderson since 2014. Richard Gorlick, division head, Pediatrics, at MD Anderson, said that only 3% of funding goes to pediatric cancer research, making this donation ever more critical in helping young cancer patients get the cancer treatment they need.

Energy company and foundation donate $1 million to benefit young MD Anderson cancer patients

Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco LP toured Pediatrics at MD Anderson during a visit to present a check for $1 million

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Jewelry designer Kendra Scott has supported MD Anderson since 2013. It first sold a Children’s Art Project card designed by an MD Anderson pediatric cancer patient. It currently offers pop-up shops at MD Anderson, with MD Anderson staff receiving a 15% discount on purchases, and it hosts “Kendra Cares” events, bringing its customizable Color Bar™ experience to pediatric hospitals across the country. To date, Kendra Scott has raised more than $170,000 for childhood cancer research and patient care programs at MD Anderson.

Jewelry designer supports MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital

Jewelry designer Kendra Scott has supported MD Anderson since 2014. To date, Kendra Scott has raised more than $170,000 for childhood cancer research and patient care programs at MD Anderson.

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Pappas restaurants in Texas held a two-week End Cancer campaign in January to raise money to support cancer research at MD Anderson. Since 2015, Pappas has raised more than $480,000 for MD Anderson through customer donations and the restaurant’s matching funds.

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Benjy Metry, of Houston, may be only 10 years old, but he’s miles ahead of other fourth graders when it comes to philanthropy. In just one month, he raised nearly $17,000 for  MD Anderson in honor of his father, Adam, who passed away after a brief but courageous battle with esophageal cancer.

Fourth-grade cancer fighter raises $17,000 for MD Anderson Cancer Center

10-year-old runs half marathon in honor of father

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This spring, many young families headed to the Little Galleria for the annual Bunny Hops and Photo Ops, which benefits MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. It’s one of a series of quarterly events hosted by The Galleria and MD Anderson, and this year’s proceeds total more than $15,000, in addition to donated school and art supplies and holiday gifts for patients.

MD Anderson hosts photos with the Easter Bunny at The Galleria

Annual Bunny Hops and Photo Ops event benefits MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital

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MD Anderson’s Isaiah Fidler receives AACR’S Foti Award

MD Anderson’s Isaiah Fidler, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of Cancer Biology and a pioneer in metastasis research, received the 2018 Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research in April at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

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• Jim Allison, PH.D., chair of Immunology, has received the Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in honor of his pioneering research in cancer immunotherapy.

National Academy of Sciences honors MD Anderson’s Jim Allison

Jim Allison, Ph.D.., chair of Immunology, has received the Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal of the National Academy of Sciences in honor of his pioneering research in cancer immunotherapy.

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