Realizing the AACR’s bold mission of preventing and curing all cancers requires the support of the entire cancer community—including nonprofit organizations, foundations, industry partners, and cancer survivors and their families and friends. The AACR Foundation fosters a culture of philanthropy within that community that funds a broad range of AACR programs and initiatives.
Runners for Research
The AACR Runners for Research program continued to expand, enlisting a record number of participants in 2022 to increase the AACR’s visibility and support its mission.
- Philadelphia Marathon.
In its sixth year as the official charity partner for the Philadelphia Marathon, the AACR fielded its largest Runners for Research team to date, with more than 400 individuals participating in the Marathon Weekend races in November. The record number of participants was driven in large part by Evan Horn and his “D-Team.” Evan assembled the team of 92 family members and friends in honor of his sister Darcy, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year. Inspired by Darcy’s recent remission, the D-Team helped Runners for Research raise more than $500,000 to support innovative cancer research.
- AACR Annual Meeting 2022 5K Run/Walk.
The return to an in-person Annual Meeting in April 2022 also meant the return of this Annual Meeting tradition. Louisiana native Brandon Bolden, an NFL running back and two-time Super Bowl champion who overcame epidermoid carcinoma at age 28, joined 2021–2022 AACR President David A. Tuveson and AACR Chief Philanthropic Officer Mitch Stoller as an AACR Ambassador to welcome the Runners for Research to New Orleans. A total of 350 participants—including Annual Meeting attendees, New Orleans residents, and members of local running clubs—raised more than $117,000 to fund future advances against cancer.
Foundation Partnerships: Advancing Innovative Cancer Science by Women, for Women
The AACR is a trusted partner to philanthropic organizations looking to maximize the impact of their investments in cancer science. In 2022, the AACR began working with a new foundation partner to transform the landscape of research on women’s cancers.
In November 2021, the AACR and Pelotonia announced the establishment of a new grants program funded by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers with the goal of transforming outcomes for patients with breast and gynecologic cancers. The inaugural grants from the program were awarded at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022 in April, as scientific achievement awards of $100,000 each were presented to five outstanding female researchers who have made pioneering contributions to the fundamental understanding and/or treatment of these cancers.
Award recipients were also invited to serve as mentors to early-career women scientists as part of a broader grants program that will fund multiyear research grants for both established and early-stage investigators working on breast and gynecologic cancers. The program continued in October, when the fund presented Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Awards to five female cancer researchers who are in the early stages of their careers. By fostering the next generation of women scientists, the program will sustain and accelerate progress against women’s cancers.
Award recipients were also invited to serve as mentors to early-career women scientists as part of a broader grants program that will fund multiyear research grants for both established and early-stage investigators working on breast and gynecologic cancers. The program continued in October, when the fund presented Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Awards to five female cancer researchers who are in the early stages of their careers. By fostering the next generation of women scientists, the program will sustain and accelerate progress against women’s cancers.
Community Relationships
- Party With a Purpose. Returning from a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Friends of the AACR Foundation hosted the fifth edition of this elite fundraising gala in October, raising more than $236,000 to support lung cancer research. The 2022 Party With a Purpose Scientific Achievement Award was presented to Corey J. Langer, MD, director of thoracic oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center and professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine. As part of his award, Dr. Langer selected Melina Marmarelis, MD, MSCE, to receive the Friends of the AACR Foundation Early Career Investigator Award. The award provides a grant to support Dr. Marmarelis's work on mesothelioma.
The Party With a Purpose Humanitarian Award was presented to Dorothy Giordano and the Hon. Frank Giordano, President and CEO of the Philly Pops in recognition of their philanthropic contributions.
The Party With a Purpose Humanitarian Award was presented to Dorothy Giordano and the Hon. Frank Giordano, President and CEO of the Philly Pops in recognition of their philanthropic contributions.
- Players Vs. Cancer (PvC).
PvC, the AACR Foundation’s initiative to engage the gaming community to promote livestream fundraising, expanded its reach in 2022 by recruiting more streamers to join the effort. During the month of September, the PvC community hosted an End Cancer Disparities event to raise awareness about disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes. The event generated a record $37,000 in donations for the month, which contributed significantly to PvC’s year-end contribution of $65,000 to support innovative cancer science.
- Riding for Adam.
When James Van Cleef’s son Adam died of synovial sarcoma, he and his brother-in-law Mark Bayliss founded Riding for Adam and began long-distance cycling to raise money for cancer research in Adam’s memory. While the U.K. residents have cycled more than 7,500 miles since 2018 over the course of six different rides, they partnered with the AACR in 2022 for their greatest challenge yet. From August through October, James and Mark rode more than 3,500 miles across the United States from New York City to Santa Monica to raise awareness and funds in support of the AACR’s mission. At the conclusion of their cross-country trek, James and Mark met their wives and two of their largest donors, AACR Foundation Trustee John Leonard and his wife Elizabeth (right).
- The John Kincade Show.
The AACR continued its relationship in 2022 with the John Kincade Show, a morning sports talk radio show on 97.5 FM The Fanatic, in the AACR's home city of Philadelphia. As the official charity of the show, the AACR partnered with Mr. Kincade to host several events during the year, including four radio takeovers, to help raise funds for cancer research. A two-time cancer survivor, John rallied his show's supporters and corporate partners to raise more than $21,000 for the AACR.
- Accent Therapeutics.
Employees of this biopharmaceutical company in Lexington, Massachusetts chose the AACR Foundation as the beneficiary of their fundraising initiatives. Over the course of six weeks from October through December, Accent employees raised more than $10,000 to support AACR programs.
- The John Kincade Show.
The AACR continued its relationship in 2022 with the John Kincade Show, a morning sports talk radio show on 97.5 FM The Fanatic, in the AACR's home city of Philadelphia. As the official charity of the show, the AACR partnered with Mr. Kincade to host several events during the year, including four radio takeovers, to help raise funds for cancer research. A two-time cancer survivor, John rallied his show's supporters and corporate partners to raise more than $21,000 for the AACR.
- Accent Therapeutics.
Employees of this biopharmaceutical company in Lexington, Massachusetts chose the AACR Foundation as the beneficiary of their fundraising initiatives. Over the course of six weeks from October through December, Accent employees raised more than $10,000 to support AACR programs.
Planned Giving
The AACR continued to enhance its reputation as a beneficiary of choice for a discerning philanthropic public, receiving several impactful gifts such as appreciated assets and donor advised funds. The AACR was named in several bequests totaling more than $1.1 million from individuals who were inspired by its mission. Further, users of FreeWill, an online tool that enables families to create a will at no charge and to establish bequests to their favorite charitable organizations, also committed more than $1.7 million to support the AACR’s mission.
Industry Partnerships: Powering Progress Through Sustaining Membership
Industry plays a vital role in the cancer research enterprise, and the AACR’s industry partners increased their critical support of its programs and initiatives in 2022. The AACR’s Sustaining Member program expanded to a total of 36 corporate partners, four of which made notable financial commitments to advance the AACR’s mission:
- Merck & Co., Inc., supported a wide range of AACR programs in 2022, with a special focus on the AACR’s core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. By providing critical funding for the AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awards and the AACR Career Development Awards to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cancer Research, Merck cultivated diversity in the cancer workforce. In addition, Merck’s support of AACR Cancer Disparities Research Fellowships funded innovative research in pursuit of health equity.
- AstraZeneca's commitment to advancing the AACR's mission has been long-standing and significant. As the largest overall supporter of the AACR, the company has funded a wide range of critical programs over the years, including think tanks, scientific conferences, and grants. The AACR recognized AstraZeneca for its enduring partnership by presenting the company with the 2022 AACR Outstanding Achievement Award for Service to Cancer Science and Medicine during its 115th Anniversary Event in September.
- The AACR’s efforts to transform the global cancer research enterprise were bolstered in 2022 by its partnership with the Takeda Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs. Through its support of the AACR-AORTIC Beginning Investigator for Catalytic Research (BIG Cat) initiative, Takeda bolstered the AACR’s efforts to catalyze locally relevant cancer research, facilitate the career advancement and development of scientists in Africa, and expand cancer research capacity on the continent.
- Novocure continued its partnership with the AACR in 2022 to support research focused on tumor treating fields—an innovative treatment modality that uses intermediate frequency, low intensity, and alternating electric fields to disrupt cell division in cancer cells and slow the growth of certain tumors—to expand the range of options available to cancer patients.
- AstraZeneca's commitment to advancing the AACR's mission has been long-standing and significant. As the largest overall supporter of the AACR, the company has funded a wide range of critical programs over the years, including think tanks, scientific conferences, and grants. The AACR recognized AstraZeneca for its enduring partnership by presenting the company with the 2022 AACR Outstanding Achievement Award for Service to Cancer Science and Medicine during its 115th Anniversary Event in September.
- The AACR’s efforts to transform the global cancer research enterprise were bolstered in 2022 by its partnership with the Takeda Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs. Through its support of the AACR-AORTIC Beginning Investigator for Catalytic Research (BIG Cat) initiative, Takeda bolstered the AACR’s efforts to catalyze locally relevant cancer research, facilitate the career advancement and development of scientists in Africa, and expand cancer research capacity on the continent.
- Novocure continued its partnership with the AACR in 2022 to support research focused on tumor treating fields—an innovative treatment modality that uses intermediate frequency, low intensity, and alternating electric fields to disrupt cell division in cancer cells and slow the growth of certain tumors—to expand the range of options available to cancer patients.
The AACR thanks all of its Sustaining Members, whose enduring support of innovative cancer research accelerates progress against cancer.
2022 AACR SUSTAINING MEMBERS
Leadership
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Amgen
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AstraZeneca
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Bayer
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Boehringer Ingelheim
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Bristol Myers Squibb
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Genentech
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Merck & Co., Inc.
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Novocure
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Pfizer
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Takeda
Strategic
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Eisai Inc.
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GSK
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Incyte Corporation
Major
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Jazz Pharmaceuticals
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Karyopharm Therapeutics
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Nektar Therapeutics
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Prelude Therapeutics
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Pezcoller Foundation
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Regeneron
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Sanofi
Associate
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Qiagen US
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Servier
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Verastem Oncology
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DONOR SUPPORT
Donor support helps the AACR fund the critical research that leads to groundbreaking discoveries, innovations, and treatments. The AACR is grateful for the exceptional commitment and generosity of its supporters—nonprofits, foundations, industry partners, and especially individuals—who drive progress to save, extend, and enhance the lives of patients with cancer.
The AACR marked its sixth year as the official charity partner for the Philadelphia Marathon. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, individual donors, and the AACR Runners for Research team, the marathon weekend raised more than $500,000 to support the AACR’s mission.
