A celebratory Patriots’ Day on Monday, April 15, was cut short by tragedy when two explosions occurred near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon®,

killing three spectators and injuring scores of others. The attacks produced a massive outpouring of concern for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team’s 550 run-ners and the numerous family members, friends, volunteers, and staff who were present on the sidelines. Dana-Farber staff members worked tirelessly over the ensuing days to check in with each DFMC runner, and sadly learned of some family members who were seriously injured. The heartfelt concern of the Dana-Farber community remains with these individu-als and all those affected.

Despite the circumstances and aftermath of marathon day, the DFMC team continued to build on its 24-year history of remarkable achievement, with the team approaching its fundraising goal of $4.6 million to benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber. Established in 1987 by Institute Trustees J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver in memory of Delores’ mother, Claudia Adams Barr, the program funds innovative, early-stage cancer research and brings vital awareness to the need for increased support.

The afternoon before the marathon, more than 1,400 people attended the DFMC pasta party to recognize the months-long fundraising and training efforts of the DFMC

Volume 16 • Issue 2

Impactdana-farber.org and jimmyfund.org THANKING THOSE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Summer 2013

5 Fashion Forwards Research

6A Wish to Wipe Out Ovarian Cancer

7 A Sister’s Legacy

4Novel Strategies to Conquer Gliomas

3A Visionary Partnership

continued on page 5

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) recently awarded grants total-ing $2.16 million to support 12 Dana-Farber physician-scientists, surpassing a tremendous $11.9 million in lifetime funding to translate cross-disciplinary

research in the lab into more effective clinical treatments for women fighting breast cancer. Many of the projects focus on damaged DNA repair mechanisms and the

implications of repair deficiencies on breast and ovarian cancer.

“BCRF funding is given to meritorious projects, as well as individuals who are experts in breast cancer,” said J. Dirk Iglehart, MD, director of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers. “For the individual, a BCRF grant allows the pursuit of high-risk and potentially high-reward projects

that could not get funded otherwise.” Also a recipient of a 2012 BCRF grant, Iglehart and his team, which includes Andrea Richardson, MD, PhD, and Charles Wang, MD, PhD, have received support from BCRF for the past 10 years.

Richardson recently discovered a predictive marker that may indicate which especially aggressive “triple-negative” breast cancers and some ovarian cancers may respond to specific chemotherapy drugs, thus avoiding the toxicities of trying other chemotherapy treatments.

Some cancers respond well to standard chemotherapy drugs, which damage DNA within tumor cells so that they are unable to grow and divide. Some cancer cells are able to repair broken DNA molecules, while others have lost that ability,

which makes them vulnerable to DNA-damaging drugs. The marker uncovered by Richardson makes it easier to identify which cancer cells cannot repair the type of damage caused by certain drugs, therefore dictating more specific treatment options.

“We currently do not have any targeted therapies for patients with triple-negative breast cancer,” Richardson noted, “so if these laboratory findings are confirmed, it would be a major step forward.”

BCRF Deputy Director Peg Mastrianni and her colleagues have been impressed with the innovative projects at Dana-Farber, and are encouraged by the scientists’ potential to develop the research into novel treatments.

“The advances made by Dana-Farber investigators on tumor biology, such as better understanding of DNA repair and tumor heterogeneity, are being translated into improved treatment for BRCA-associated cancers and new methods to combat therapy resistance,” BCRF’s Mastrianni said. “These gains represent a welcome step forward for breast cancer patients.”

BCRF awarded its first grant to Institute physician-scientists in 1994, just one year after the foundation’s inception. This past year’s support marks not only the $11.9 million milestone, but also 12 consecutive years of BCRF funding. In addition to Iglehart, Richardson, and Wang, this year BCRF grants have been awarded to Ross Berkowitz, MD; Myles Brown, MD; Alan D’Andrea, MD; Judy Garber, MD, MPH; William Kaelin Jr., MD; Nancy Lin, MD; David Livingston, MD; Ursula Matulonis, MD; and Kornelia Polyak, MD, PhD. Furthermore, BCRF has generously supported the work of Monica Bertagnolli, MD, and Jennifer Ligibel, MD, through the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and Priscilla Brastianos, MD, PhD, through a grant to the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. n

Breast Cancer Research Foundation grant funding nears $12 million in lifetime giving

The 2013 DFMC team gathered for the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Mass.

DFMC team builds on history of remarkable achievement

Impact Summer 20132

Dear Friends,

Every spring, we look forward to cheering on the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team members in the Boston Marathon®, inspired by their extraordinary camaraderie and determination. No one expected April 15, 2013, to turn out the way it did; we continue to heal from the loss and devastating toll the day took.

Despite this year’s very tragic circumstances, the 24th annual DFMC persevered. Our 550 runners joined forces to perpetuate the DFMC’s track record of success, and are closing in on the team’s $4.6 million goal for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research. The countless hours our runners spent fundraising and training moves us all, and exemplifies the powerful community behind Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.

In this issue of Impact we are also pleased to celebrate several examples of exceptional philanthropic dedication. We are especially grateful for the longstanding generosity of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which recently renewed its commitment to the Institute with an amazing $2.16 million in grants to 12 investigators at Dana-Farber. The BCRF’s giving, totaling nearly $12 million since 1994, provides sustained momentum behind our efforts to better understand and treat breast and ovarian cancers.

We also genuinely appreciate a $1.1 million gift from Celgene Corporation to advance the research of Paul Richardson, MD. He and his colleagues in the Jerome Lipper Center for Multiple Myeloma and the LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics are answering the call to devise combination treatments for multiple myeloma. Celgene’s investment will further their preliminary studies, shedding valuable light on multi-drug regimens.

And we thank the Dana Foundation for its $1 million gift to the Longwood Center. Due to open in early 2015, this state-of-the-art, medical science building will provide a collaborative space where our biologists and chemists can work side by side as they pursue the successful delivery of personalized medicine. We are sincerely grateful for the Dana Foundation’s foresight and encouragement through this contribution, which builds on more than five decades of tremendous support.

These gifts, strengthening diverse facets of the Institute, represent one resounding vote of confidence in Dana-Farber’s important work. Our donors’ shared goal of conquering cancer truly drives the latest advances in our laboratories and clinics, imparting greater hope to so many. As we forge ahead with our world-class research and care, please know that your partnership fuels us every step of the way.

Sincerely,

Susan S. Paresky Senior Vice President for Development

Philanthropy counters federal budget cuts to cancer research

A s is widely known, Congress failed to pass an alternative deficit reduction plan by March 1, 2013, triggering severe budget cuts. These automatic cuts, known as sequestration, will slash 5.1 percent—or about $1.6 billion

in 2013 alone—from the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and also the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a major supporter of research at Dana-Farber.

Dana-Farber has consistently ranked among the top recipients of grant funding from the NIH, receiving more that $151 million in 2012, even as national success rates for grant applicants dropped to approximately 13 percent. This high level of achievement is a credit to generous donors who had the vision to enable the Institute’s talented investigators to demonstrate that their work holds great promise to improve cancer outcomes and is worthy of government support. Philanthropy funded innovative pilot studies that made a stronger case for these major research grants.

Today, the immediate effect of sequestration for Dana-Farber is uncertain. In the short term, Dana-Farber can weather the reductions in federal research funding, but in the long run, the Institute will face uncertain prospects for federal grants.

As Dana-Farber investigators continue to thrive in the field of cancer research, funding research remains the Institute’s biggest challenge because of ongoing reductions in the NIH budget that preceded sequestration. Dana-Farber is competing effectively for grants, but now the NIH is reducing the budget of previously funded grants so a project that was originally funded at $200,000 per year, for example, is being cut by 7 percent.

Private support bridges this gap so that investigators can continue their work and remain aggressive in pursuit of discoveries relevant to cancer and their application to improve cancer outcomes, even as federal budget cuts have presented enormous challenges.

Looking toward the future, Dana-Farber must continue to expand scientific activity, even with a shrinking federal research budget. With your continued partnership, together we will rise to overcome the challenges of funding cutting-edge science for tomorrow’s cures. n

Impact Summer 2013Volume 16 • Issue 2

This issue covers gifts received and finalized through January 2013.

President and Chief Executive Officer Edward J. Benz Jr., MD

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dorothy E. Puhy, MBA

Chair, Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Susan D. Block, MD

Chair, Medical Oncology James D. Griffin, MD

Chair, Radiation Oncology Jay R. Harris, MD

Chair, Executive Committee for Research William G. Kaelin Jr., MD

Chair, Executive Committee for Clinical Research Philip W. Kantoff, MD

Chair, Pediatric Oncology Stuart H. Orkin, MD

Chair, Executive Committee for Clinical Programs Eric P. Winer, MD

Senior Vice President and General Counsel Richard S. Boskey, Esq.

Senior Vice President, Experimental Therapeutics George D. Demetri, MD

Senior Vice President, Human Resources Deborah Hicks, MA

Senior Vice President, Experimental Medicine Lee M. Nadler, MD

Senior Vice President, Institute Operations Maria Papola, MHA

Senior Vice President, Development and the Jimmy Fund Susan S. Paresky, MBA

Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services; Chief Nurse Patricia Reid Ponte, RN, DNSc, FAAN

Senior Vice President, Communications Steven R. Singer, MPA

Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Treasurer Karen S. Bird, MPH

Chief Medical Officer Craig A. Bunnell, MD, MPH, MBA

Chief Quality Officer Joseph O. Jacobson, MD, MSc

Chief Clinical Research Officer Bruce E. Johnson, MD

Chief Scientific Officer Barrett J. Rollins, MD, PhD

Chief of Staff Emeritus Stephen E. Sallan, MD

Chief of Staff; Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs Lawrence N. Shulman, MD

Chief Surgical Officer Scott J. Swanson, MD

Chief of Radiology Annick D. Van den Abbeele, MD

Assistant Vice President, Development Marketing and Donor Relations Jan Lawlor

Impact Editors Lori Dougherty, Kelsie Guerriero, Monica Zurlinden

Contributors Jennifer Skala Bodio, Lindsay Budnik, Katie Connors, Sarah Holroyd, Erin McVeigh,

Jillian Pereira, Erin Podolak, Bailey Snyder, Elina Tonkova

Designer Sharon Veino

Production Coordinators Ryan Agate, Kate Harper, Georgina Morales Hampe

Photographers Boston Red Sox, John Deputy, Kate Harper, Rachel Holt, Drew Hyman, Justin Knight,

Aviran Levy, Elkus Manfredi, Sam Ogden, Society of Neuro-Oncology

Impact is a newsletter of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute published by the Division of Development and

the Jimmy Fund. For questions, or to be removed from our mailing list, please contact:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Division of Development & the Jimmy Fund10 Brookline Place West, 6th FloorBrookline, MA 02445-7226617-632-3019 or 800-52-JIMMYor visit jimmyfund.org/opt-out

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides expert, compassionate care to children and adults and is home

to groundbreaking cancer discoveries. Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has raised millions

of dollars through thousands of community efforts to advance Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.

Funding research remains the Institute’s biggest challenge because of ongoing reductions in the NIH budget. Private support bridges this gap so that investigators can remain aggressive in pursuit of discoveries.

Impact Summer 2013 310% of all designated gifts supports our Faculty Research Fund to advance Dana-Farber’s research mission.

Thank you for supporting Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund!

$1.1 million Celgene Corporation gift helps research in conquering multiple myeloma

Dana Foundation’s continued partnership advances vision for personalized medicine

r ecent years have seen critical milestones in multiple myeloma treatment, including the increasingly clear reality that conquering this drug-resistant disease will require multiple combination therapies. Paul Richardson, MD,

clinical director of Dana-Farber’s Jerome Lipper Center for Multiple Myeloma and the LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and the R.J. Corman Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, is leading early-phase clinical trials to help answer this need. The pace at which new treatments for multiple myeloma are developed will be accelerated by a $1.1 million gift from Celgene Corporation in support of Richardson and his team.

Although no single drug is yet powerful enough to defeat multiple myeloma on its own, Richardson’s

recent clinical studies indicate that, through carefully designed multi-drug regimens, this as-yet incurable disease may become more manageable and, in many, a chronic illness. Such regimens work by building on the successes of their predecessors to leverage the effect of existing therapies, using laboratory experiments to inform combinations with new generations of agents. This is precisely the strategy Celgene supports through Dana-Farber’s Early Phase Clinical Trials Fund for Multiple Myeloma, which has helped create a more systematic approach to the discovery, development, and clinical testing of myeloma therapies. This unique partnership between academia and industry affords flexibility for investigator-initiated clinical trials, speeding the pace of vital new drug development.

“Celgene’s extraordinarily generous support helps make essential early-stage studies possible,” said Richardson. “Results from our studies suggest that our approach is likely to have an enormous impact on our ability to better fight multiple myeloma at its various stages, and so further improve patient outcome.”

The power of this collaboration was recently evidenced by FDA approval of Pomalyst® (pomalidomide), an oral therapy representing arguably one of the most effective drugs to date for modulating immune function. Pomalyst is now approved for myeloma patients who are resistant to other approved agents. Since most patients eventually develop resistance to treatment despite initial success with other landmark drugs, Pomalyst provides a critical option for patients to extend their response to treatment.

Working with Kenneth Anderson, MD, director of Dana-Farber’s Jerome Lipper Center for Multiple Myeloma and the LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and the Kraft Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Richardson had a leading role in securing FDA approval for Pomalyst. Specifically, Richardson demonstrated pomalidomide’s striking efficacy in both phase I and II combination trials of pomalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma, with the phase II study providing the basis for accelerated approval. The drug’s success is an example of how new therapies help patients respond to next-generation treatment once currently available therapies fail, meeting an urgent unmet medical need.

“Dana-Farber researchers have a unique combination of insight into mechanisms of disease and the close ties to patient needs,” said Greg Geissman, director for public relations at Celgene. “This makes the work done over the years by Dr. Richardson the leading edge, and Dr. Richardson a powerful force who has been an ideal partner for Celgene.” n

Continuing more than five decades of incredible support for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Dana Foundation’s recent $1 million gift toward con-struction of the Longwood Center will transform the Institute’s vision for

personalized medicine. The Longwood Center, a state-of-the-art research building next to Dana-Farber’s campus, will provide a collaborative space for chemists and biologists to accelerate the discovery and delivery of therapies tailored to individual

patients based on the molecular charac-teristics of their cancers.

“The Longwood Center is critical to achieving Dana-Farber’s goal of moving drug compound prototypes ‘from molecule to market.’ The ongoing and generous support of our historic partner, the Dana Foundation, will help to make our vision possible,” said Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, Institute president and CEO.

Established in the 1950s by Charles A. Dana with a primary focus on health and education, the Dana Foundation awarded a major grant in 1962 to the Children’s Cancer Research Foundation

founded by Sidney Farber, MD. Farber’s foundation was renamed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 1983 to acknowledge the long-term partnership of the Dana Foundation and the Dana family.

“The Dana Foundation continues to believe in Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission and its team of pioneering physician-scientists, just as Charles A. Dana did in 1962,” said Institute Trustee Edward Rover, chairman and CEO of the Dana Foundation.

“The Dana Foundation and Dana-Farber have a shared commitment to foster innovative scientific research and to communicate to the general public the importance of early treatment and the elimination of any stigma attached to any medical condition. The Longwood Center will help advance this vision,” he added.

The Longwood Center will promote more effective basic science research in biology and chemistry—two fields driving cutting-edge discoveries in cancer. The Longwood Center will provide highly specialized lab resources for investigators, which will help attract and retain world-renowned investigators to the Institute.

The Longwood Center’s labs will be grouped in research “neighborhoods” arranged by disease area to foster greater collaboration, conversation, and productivity among the scientific teams. The development of “smart drugs”—or effective, tailored therapies—by Dana-Farber investigators is a top priority for the next decade. “While we can now identify hundreds of cancer-causing mutations in tumors, we are clinically limited to only a handful of targeted therapies that are approved for use in patients,” said Benz. With the ongoing partnership of the Dana Foundation, this priority moves closer to realization. n

The Longwood Center, scheduled to open in 2015, will add a state-of-the-art research space for chemists and biologists on Dana-Farber’s campus.

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Impact Summer 20134

Make your gift online at dana-farber.org/give

The Sontag Foundation supports brain tumor research

The family of Frederick B. and Susan T. Sontag began their foundation as a way to fund biomedical research. Susan was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1994, and the family’s experience navigating her treatment and care inspired

them to support research to better understand brain tumors and invest in the potential of early-career scientists.

The Sontag Foundation recently named Dana-Farber’s Rameen Beroukhim, MD, PhD, as one of their Distinguished Scientist Award recipients with a four-year grant of $600,000. Beroukhim will use the funds to investigate potential therapeutic targets by focusing on genes that are often altered in cancers, but are currently not known to cause cancer. Further research in this area will identify whether inhibiting any of these genes can prevent the growth of gliomas, thereby identifying potential therapeutic targets.

“Although many of the mutations that cause gliomas have been known for decades, none of them have been effectively targeted by therapies that improve outcomes for our patients,” said Beroukhim. “With the support of The Sontag Foundation, we will be using a novel strategy for identifying much-needed new targets. Our research will focus on large genomic changes that affect hundreds to thousands of individual genes, whose potential roles in the development or progression of glioma are currently unknown.”

Frederick Sontag, president of the foundation, notes that they’re pleased to support Beroukhim because his background in both mathematical physics and medicine has led him to develop new approaches to understanding the mechanisms that cause maladies like brain cancer.

“We have rarely funded anyone with such unique talents as Beroukhim,” said Sontag. “Genomics is becoming a much more important tool for cancer diagnosis and treatment, and Beroukhim is truly at the forefront of this type of cancer research.” n

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation advances promising research careers

e stablished in 1996, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of people’s lives through its support of many causes, including medical research. Recently, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

awarded Dana-Farber physician-scientist Adam Bass, MD, a Clinical Scientist Development Award, granting him $486,000 to further his studies of squamous cell carcinoma.

“Physicians who conduct medical research are critical members of the research community because they apply insights from patient care to their investigations,” said Betsy Myers, PhD, program director for medical research. “The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation designed the Clinical Scientist Development

Award to assist physician-scientists as they make the important transition from junior faculty member to independent researcher. We hope such support will help outstanding investigators like Adam Bass build their research careers.”

While the focus of the award is to advance the careers of excellent, junior-level physician-scientists, it also underscores the value of groundbreaking research in the prevention, diagnosis, and cure of a disease. Bass is studying SOX2-driven squamous cell carcinomas.

“We’re working toward defining therapeutic targets that can suppress the growth of lung and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma driven by the SOX2 oncogene. However, SOX2 itself is very difficult to inhibit therapeutically,” said Bass. “With the help of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, we are able to broaden our understanding of SOX2, allowing us to explore other approaches for therapy—namely, to investigate collaborative genes as potential targets.” n

Personal experience with cancer inspired Susan and Frederick Sontag to support biomedical research at Dana-Farber.

“We hope such support will help outstanding investi-gators like Adam Bass build their research careers.” –Betsy myers, PhD, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

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CONQUER CANCER THROUGH GOLF

Ken Berry pays it forward with gift to support head and neck cancer research

K en Berry is grateful for the successful treatment of his cancer and impressed by the care he received from his oncologist, Guilherme Rabinowits, MD, in his home state of Kentucky. When Rabinowits recently joined the faculty

at Dana-Farber, Berry and his wife, Amy, expressed their gratitude by naming the Berry Research Fund for the Diagnosis, Screening, and Tailoring of Personalized Treatments for Head and Neck Cancers to support Rabinowits’ continued efforts.

“It occurred to me during treatment that the protocols they had and the machines that helped me were funded by someone 20 years ago,” Berry said. “Amy and I wanted to pay it forward a little bit.”

“Besides,” he laughed, “You talk to Rabinowits for about 10 minutes and realize he’s brilliant.”

Stressing that the Berry’s gift is influencing research happening right now, Rabinowits called the contribution “fundamental,” adding that despite the aggressive nature of head and neck cancers, and the toxicity of their treatments, research funding is limited.

Jochen Lorch, MD, MS, who also works on the head and neck cancers team, agreed.

“We can do so much for relatively little money because of Dana-Farber’s infrastructure and commitment to research,” Lorch said. Furthermore, he added, “the time to do research is ideal right now. There are techniques and tools available that make it much more accessible to figure out what is actually driving the cancer.”

“We never knew how good it would feel to make this gift,” Berry acknowledged during a recent tour of Dana-Farber. “And it does feel good to give.” n

Left to right: Ken Berry meets with Guilherme Rabinowits, MD, Jochen Lorch, MD, MS, and Robert Haddad, MD, the head and neck cancer doctors his gift supported, during a recent visit to Dana-Farber.

Impact Summer 2013 510% of all designated gifts supports our Faculty Research Fund to advance Dana-Farber’s research mission.

When her son Liam was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, Gretchen Witt was inspired to do something to make a difference—not just for Liam, but for all children facing cancer. Witt started Cookies for Kids’

Cancer with a simple idea: to sell cookies to raise money for research. Five years later, Liam’s spirit has inspired a movement to become a “Good Cookie” by supporting research to drive the creation of new cancer treatments.

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer recently awarded grants totaling $300,000 to Dana-Farber’s Suzanne Shusterman, MD, Charles Roberts, MD, PhD, and Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MD.

“Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is proud to partner with Dana-Farber in the fight against

pediatric cancer,” said Witt. “Our research grants are made possible by the generosity of thousands of Good Cookies nationwide—the individuals, businesses, and communities that raise critically needed funds for research.”

With their awards, Shusterman will investigate immunotherapy for neuroblastoma, Roberts will focus on developing a new targeted therapy for atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), and Rodriguez-Galindo will research new treatments for Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a disease of the blood cells.

“This support will enable our physician-scientists to conduct translational research on rare and difficult to treat pediatric illnesses,” said Stuart Orkin, MD, Dana-Farber’s chair of Pediatric Oncology. “These projects are exemplary of our mission at Dana-Farber to pursue the most promising science while providing compassionate care for all patients.” n

Donors live for today, fuel research for tomorrow’s cures

A grateful patient and her husband have stepped up anonymously to support research under the direction of F. Stephen Hodi, MD, director of the Melanoma Center and the Clinical Center for Immuno-Oncology at Dana-

Farber Cancer Institute. Hodi leads many national clinical studies, including one recent trial that showed combining the immune stimulator CM-CSF with the antibody drug ipilimumab prolonged survival in patients with metastatic melanoma and reduced the incidence of the most serious side effects.

“We would not be where we are today without clinical trials. If this were 10 years ago, my wife wouldn’t have met five grandchildren,” said one of the donors.

His wife, a patient of Hodi, continued, “We’ve had six matrilineal cases of melanoma in our family, and I have four girls, so you have to be forward thinking. Dr. Hodi always makes me feel like we’re trying to transform this yet incurable disease into a manageable illness and that

makes you have more hope. The possibility is out there that if the next generation gets melanoma, they might be able to live with it.”

Much of the excitement about drugs like ipilimumab stems from the possibility of using them in combination. Clinicians are optimistic that smart multi-drug regimens could manage the disease with fewer side effects than conventional treatments and delay the development of resistance. There is also increasing evidence about therapies that harness the immune system to fight cancer in general and melanoma specifically.

“This generous gift will fuel clinical research and trials that ultimately allow us to offer the most advanced melanoma treatment protocols to our patients,” said Hodi.

“We travel from Chicago to Dana-Farber every three weeks and that could be very draining. It hasn’t been, and I think in part it’s because of the nature of the place we’re arriving at,” said the donor. “If we were going to, what I would call, a more traditional hospital and had to deal with the inevitable delays and factory-like approach to this form of disease, it would be much more taxing. Somehow, Dana-Farber doesn’t make you feel sick.” n

Being a “Good Cookie” in the fight against pediatric cancer

QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” supports breast cancer research

The Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) and QVC hosted the 19th annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” dinner and shoe sale to benefit breast cancer research and education Oct. 22, 2012, at The

Waldorf Astoria New York. The event, and the QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” broadcast, which

aired Oct. 24, benefited nine top cancer research and education institutions including Dana-Farber, generating more than $407,000 for the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers.

“We are extremely grateful to QVC and FFANY for hosting this event,” said Eric Winer, MD, director of the Breast Oncology Program at Dana-Farber. “For more than 15 years, support from this event has touched almost all aspects of our breast cancer research program and has proven absolutely critical to the important research and care efforts of the Susan F. Smith Center.”

QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” featured more than 125,000 pairs of shoes from 90 different brands, offered at half the manufacturer’s suggested retail price*. Since its inception, the event has generated more than $41 million for breast cancer research and education. Of that, almost $5 million has been generated for Dana-Farber.

*The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is based on supplier’s representation of value. No sales may have been made at this price. n

F. Stephen Hodi, MD, director of the Melanoma Center at Dana-Farber, is leading innovative clinical studies that continue to spark hope in the fight against melanoma.

20-year DFMC veteran Rich Horgan and Barr Program founder, Delores Barr Weaver.

From left to right: Joseph C. Moore, president and CEO, Fashion Footwear Association of New York, Inc; Eric Winer, MD, chief, Dana-Farber's Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers; Erica Mayer, MD, MPH, medical oncologist, Breast Oncology, Dana-Farber; Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, founder and director, Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber; Michael George, president and CEO, QVC, Inc.

runners. Among those honored at the event was Rich Horgan, a 20-year veteran of the DFMC team who has cumulatively raised more than $150,000 for the Barr Program. Horgan has run for the past two decades in memory of his father, who passed away from colon cancer, and this year also celebrated a friend who recently won her fight with breast cancer. When asked what motivates him to keep running, Horgan said, “seeing all the good work at Dana-Farber, celebrating those who have battled cancer, mentoring new teammates, and building lifelong friendships,” adding, “I started off just wanting to run a marathon and honor my father, but over the course of 20 years it has become what I do.”

The pasta party also featured speaker David Weinstock, MD, a Barr investigator and first-time DFMC runner. He said, “For so much of our lives, we search for true connections. And those few moments when we have a true connection or feel like part of a community, moments like love at first sight or the first time we hold our children, those are the moments we want more than anything. To live those moments is the real reason that we want to cure cancer.”

The theme of connection that Weinstock so passionately described could not have rung more true on April 15 and the days following the tragedy. As the DFMC community continues to heal, it also looks forward to the 25th running in 2014, knowing the team will emerge stronger, more deeply united, and focused on the ultimate finish line—a world without cancer. n

DFMC continued from page 1

Impact Summer 20136

Simoni family gift of unrestricted funds supports Institute priorities

e lizabeth “Betty” Simoni loves golf, her five grandchildren, and the opportu-nity to direct her philanthropy to nonprofits, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, through the foundation her husband started in 1991: the Frank R.

and Elizabeth Simoni Foundation. It was important to Simoni and her beloved husband, who passed away in

1997, that the foundation prioritizes both education for children and medical research with strong local ties. Having lost her father and two brothers to cancer, Simoni learned more about Dana-Farber and its mission through family friends, and was compelled to help, even though noone in her family has ever been treated at the Institute.

“I can’t say enough good things about Dana-Farber, and all the good work that is done,” said Simoni. “I know that Dana-Farber will always be at the top of my list.”

The Frank R. and Elizabeth Simoni Foundation’s generous, unrestricted gift of $100,000 will exist as a special named fund under the direction of Institute President and CEO Edward J. Benz Jr., MD. Unrestricted funds provide a crucial resource of flexible funding, allowing Dana-Farber to continue to aggressively meet its mission.

“Thanks to the Simoni Foundation’s generosity, we will be able to continue our ability to enhance the quality of our patient care and research all types of cancers, as well as develop the next generation of cancer science leaders,” said Benz. n

“I can’t say enough good things about Dana-Farber, and all the good work that is done. I know that Dana-Farber will always be at the top of my list.” —elizabeth Simoni

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America supports basic research

Tina’s Wish advances ovarian cancer research

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) has awarded Dana-Farber’s Amlan Biswas, PhD, a Research Fellowship Award of $170,000 to continue his studies on Crohn’s disease. Recipients of this award are top

peer-reviewed young investigators with a professional commitment to inflamma-tory bowel disease (IBD). In an effort to build a pipeline of talented investigators

in IBD research across the nation, CCFA provides the seed money they need to deepen their expertise in the field, jumpstart successful careers, and generate enough feasibility data to successfully compete for NIH funding.

“CCFA is committed to supporting outstanding young investigators like Biswas in building the scientific skills necessary for a successful career in IBD research,” said Marjorie Merrick, vice president of Research and Scientific Programs. “Biswas’ work has the potential to improve the quality of life for the approximately 1.4 million IBD patients in America and to push us closer to finding cures.”

Crohn’s disease—a common form of IBD that can affect any part of the intestinal tract—may increase a patient’s risk of colon and small bowel cancers. Biswas’ work focuses on Crohn’s disease of the end of the small bowel.

“Mutations of the NOD-2 gene are strongly associated with Crohn’s, affecting regulation of the population of intestinal bacteria and thus causing inflammation of the small bowel,” explained Biswas. “With the assistance of CCFA, we are working toward perfecting basic research models that can bring us closer to understanding NOD-2’s role in achieving intestinal regulation. Doing so will allow us to more accurately test new therapeutics, as well as investigate ways of preventing inflammation, which is linked to higher risk of intestinal cancers.” n

T ina Brozman was an accomplished lawyer and jurist, as well as a beloved wife and mother when she passed away from ovarian cancer at age 54 in 2007. While battling the disease, Tina let her close friends and family know

how much she wished to help save the lives of other women by promoting enhanced screening for ovarian cancer. Today, her legacy lives on through The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation, also known as “Tina’s Wish.” Estab-lished in 2008, the New York City-based organization funds cutting-edge research focused on identifying and treating ovarian cancer at its earliest—and most curable—stage.

In January, Tina’s Wish awarded $270,000 to the laboratory of Dana-Farber’s Ronny Drapkin, MD, PhD. In collaboration with Jarrod Marto, PhD, director of Dana-Farber's Blais Proteomics Center, Drapkin will lead a two-year study focused on the discovery of novel protein-based biomarkers for the early detection of ovarian cancer.

“Our ongoing work has shown that the fallopian tube is the primary site of origin for the most aggressive ovarian cancers,” said Drapkin. “With support from Tina’s Wish, we are now leveraging our newfound understanding of where these tumors start with state-of-the-art technology to identify and characterize proteins that may serve as biomarkers for early detection.”

“The strength of Dana-Farber and the work Dr. Drapkin is doing are very closely aligned with our mission,” said Amy Kyle, chair of the board at Tina’s Wish. “We are hopeful that enhanced focus and efforts such as Dr. Drapkin’s will produce meaningful progress in ovarian cancer research, and we are proud to support Dr. Drapkin.” n

Tina Brozman’s legacy includes helping women survive ovarian cancer.

S ince 1985, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported innovative approaches to biomedical research. Pew is continuing its unwavering commitment here at Dana-Farber, where it has named Wolfram Goessling, MD, PhD, a Pew

Scholar, awarding him $240,000 over a four-year period. With an emphasis on innovative, early-career research, Pew chooses scholars

who are proven leaders pursuing their most thought-provoking, exciting ideas—in other words, their “eureka” moments in the lab.

“We designed the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences to act as an ‘insurance policy’ that encourages risk-taking,” said Anita Pepper, PhD, director of Pew’s biomedical sciences programs. “Our wish is to allow young investigators the freedom to pursue their most intriguing data and untested leads for improving human health.”

Goessling is investigating the signaling pathways that regulate the growth and renewal of tissue in the liver. By studying the genetic mechanisms for cell generation, findings may point to potential molecular targets for therapies that can destroy cancer cells and inhibit the development of cancerous tissue.

“By providing support for the study of signaling pathways involved in cell growth, Pew’s award has been tremendously instrumental in bringing us closer to the development of novel treatment options for patients with cancer,” explains Goessling, who is excited to join the collaborative biomedical community of nearly 500 Pew Scholar alumni. n

Celebrating The Pew Charitable Trusts’ steadfast commitment to health sciences

The work of Wolfram Goessling, MD, PhD, is made possible through a $240,000 grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Impact Summer 2013 710% of all designated gifts supports our Faculty Research Fund to advance Dana-Farber’s research mission.

For more than 30 years, the Thrasher Research Fund has awarded grants for innovative pediatric medical research, with an emphasis on projects with broad implications. Dana-Farber’s Allison O’Neill, MD, received a $274,643

E.W. “Al” Thrasher Award to study the use of nanoparticle-MRI in patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Iron oxide nanoparticles are microscopic molecules comprised of an iron core and carbohydrate shell. Once injected, these particles migrate through the blood stream and tissues, eventually arriving in lymph nodes. They interfere with MRI sequences, causing lymph nodes containing tumor tissue to appear distinct. This property allows physicians to detect, on a very sensitive level, whether lymph nodes contain cancerous cells.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to conduct this research,” said O’Neill. “This funding will help us determine the usefulness of nanoparticle-MRI as a diagnostic tool for lymph node spread in soft tissue sarcoma and gain expertise using this technology in pediatric patients so we

can apply the technique to other childhood malignancies that spread through the lymphatic system."

Lymph node spread is important to detect because it dramatically impacts treatment approach and patient outcome. Detection of lymph node metastases currently requires a biopsy. If O’Neill’s study is successful, it will provide a less-invasive means by which to detect disease spread.

“Children who are so brave and resilient in the face of illness deserve our very best effort,” said R. Justin Brown, MPH, president of the Thrasher Research Fund. “O’Neill is pursuing a strategy that could increase quality of life, not just for sarcoma patients, but potentially for many other children who have diseases that affect their lymph nodes.” n

The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation, founded by a metastatic carcinoid cancer patient, supports research into carcinoid, pancreatic, and related neuroendocrine cancers to accelerate the development of effective treat-

ments and cures. While there are over 100,000 patients living with neuroendo-crine cancers in the United States, limited treatment options and few FDA-approved therapies exist.

Caring for Carcinoid Foundation (CFCF) recently made a $300,000 gift to support Kwok-Kin Wong, MD, PhD, scientific director of Dana-

Farber’s Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science. Wong’s research builds on a study previously funded by CFCF at a different institution that revealed several genes commonly mutated in pancreatic neuroendocrine cancers. Wong’s skills were necessary to take the discovery forward, making this project an exemplar of one of CFCF’s main tenets—inter-institutional collaboration.

“Developing targeted therapies for neuroendocrine cancer requires comprehensive analysis of the mutations common to this rare disease,” said Wong. “With Caring for Carcinoid Foundation’s generous support, we can get on the path to making previously unheard-of advances in neuroendocrine cancer research.”

Wong, an expert in designing disease models for specific mutations, will study the role of the mutations in tumor progression. This sort of preclinical work helps shrink the otherwise long distance between finding a mutation and designing a clinical trial to target it. It is a critical step toward CFCF’s goal of improving treatment options for patients with neuroendocrine cancers.

“Our work with Dr. Wong is very timely, and builds on years of successful collaboration with Dana-Farber,” said Ron Hollander, executive director of Caring for Carcinoid Foundation. “We are excited about our continuing partnership and its potential to accelerate discovery and improve the lives of patients.” n

Thrasher Research Fund drives innovative pediatric research

$300,000 gift from Caring for Carcinoid Foundation helps make unheard-of progress

Unrestricted gift honors sister’s special memory

In Spanish, the name Consuelo means “solace, hope, and consolation,” and Consuelo “Connie” Tranter personified this to all who met her.

“Connie was the spark of our small family,” said her sister, Mary James. “Everyone who met her, loved her.”

Tranter was a 20-year survivor of esophageal cancer and an avid gardener, cook, and talented knitter when she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. After Tranter’s passing, James sought to honor the memory of her “best friend, adviser, and mentor,” and was inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dana-Farber.

In addition to naming the Institute as a beneficiary in her estate plans, James also generously gave $125,000 to Dana-Farber in memory of Tranter, to fund areas the Institute deemed of greatest need.

“Dana-Farber is a bright, gleaming light infiltrating the dark abyss of cancer,” said James. “You couldn’t find a better way to make a difference in the lives of the many afflicted by this dreadful disease.”

Tranter was not treated at Dana-Farber, but James decided to give to the Institute after reading an article about Dana-Farber’s cutting-edge science initiatives and compassionate patient care. James worked for years as a nurse in the upstate New York area.

“I gave so others may be spared the pain and discomfort that my sister endured,” said James. Her heartfelt gift to benefit others in memory of her younger sister embodies Connie’s spirit and strengthens her legacy. n

Mary James (right) honors the legacy of her “best friend, adviser, and mentor,” her late sister Connie Tranter, with a $125,000 unrestricted gift.

To include Dana-Farber in your estate plans, call us at 617-632-3756

The Jimmy Fund Big Ideas Contest, which challenged the general public to submit

creative new fundraising ideas to support the Jimmy Fund, received more than 150

submissions from across the country this spring. Five finalists were selected to present

their Big Ideas to a prestigious panel of corporate leaders during the final judging

event June 4. The judges declared all the ideas winners in their own right, and

awarded the Grand Prize to Sung Park (center, holding sign, with his colleague Brian

matt) for Coins to Cure Cancer, an innovative idea leveraging the millions of travelers

who pass through Logan Airport each year.

Above with Park and matt are Big Ideas Contest judges who so generously gave their

time and expertise throughout the contest period (from left): Institute Trustee Daniel

Kraft, president, The Kraft Group – International; Institute Trustee Larry Lucchino,

president and CeO, Boston red Sox; Ken Canestrari, president, HomeGoods; Bill Fine,

president and general manager, WCVB-TV/Channel 5; John Grady, president, Ninety

Nine restaurant & Pub; Institute Chairman of the Board Josh Bekenstein, managing

director, Bain Capital Partners; Paul Fireman, founder, reebok and chairman, Fireman

Capital Partners; Institute Trustee John Legere, president and CeO, T-mobile; Institute

Trustee robert reynolds, president and CeO, Putnam Investments; Institute Trustee

roger Berkowitz, president and CeO, Legal Sea Foods; and Stacy madison, founder,

Stacy’s Pita Chip Company. Additional judges not pictured were Institute Trustee

Joseph Kelley, president, New england Division, The Stop & Shop Supermarket

Company, and Institute Trustee Laura Sen, president and CeO, BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Jimmy Fund Big Ideas Contest

Allison O'Neill, MD, is leading innovative research thanks to the generosity of the Thrasher Research Fund.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Division of Development & The Jimmy Fund 10 Brookline Place West, 6th FloorBrookline, MA 02445-7226

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDDana-Farber

For more information on all Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber events, go to jimmyfund.org or dana-farber.org.

Impactdana-farber.org and jimmyfund.org THANKING THOSE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Summer 2013

August

sePtemBer

OctOBer

July

Jimmy Fund Little League Program presented by Extra Innings

Jimmy Fund Theatre Collections

More than 5,000 Little League players throughout New England enjoy an extended season while learning philanthropy and raising money for the Jimmy Fund. For more information contact Kelsey Duggan at 617-632-3863 or visit jimmyfund.org/little-league.

Each summer since 1949, moviegoers at participating theatres have given generously to the Jimmy Fund when volunteers come down the aisles. You can help! To volunteer, please visit jimmyfund.org/volunteer or email jimmyfundevents@dfci.harvard.edu.

July – August

3-4

11

27 & 28

2

8

13

Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC)

New Balance Falmouth Road Race

WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon

Joe Cronin Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Tournament

Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai

B.A.A.® Half Marathon

Strap on your helmet and clip in your shoes for the 34th annual Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). There are 11 routes, ranging from 25 to 190 miles. Raising over $375 million for the Jimmy Fund since its inception, the PMC is Dana-Farber’s largest single contributor. To learn more about how to register to ride, volunteer, or make a gift, visit pmc.org.

This seven-mile road race begins in Woods Hole, Mass., and runs along scenic Cape Cod to Falmouth Heights. Run Falmouth to raise funds for Dana-Farber and help us take strides toward a world without cancer. Contact Arin Shapiro at 617-632-3620 or email arin_shapiro@dfci.harvard.edu.

Tune in as the Jimmy Fund teams up with the Boston Red Sox, WEEI Sports Radio Network, and New England Sports Network (NESN) for this 36-hour broadcast, live from Fenway Park. Contact Rebecca Freedman at 617-632-5008 or visit jimmyfundradiotelethon.org.

Help the Jimmy Fund reel in funds for cancer research and patient care at the 20th anniversary of the Joe Cronin Memorial Jimmy Fund Fishing Tournament in Osterville, Mass. For more information contact Kelly Lauriat at 617-632-5091 or visit joecroninfishing.com.

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai and raise funds to conquer cancer. Four routes for walkers of all abilities, from 3 miles to the full 26.2-mile Boston Marathon course. Register today at jimmyfundwalk.org or call 866-531-9255.

Join Dana-Farber’s official team in the B.A.A. Half Marathon presented by Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. Team members receive an official race entry and fundraising and training support. Contact Cara Mitchell at 617-632-3492 or caran_mitchell@dfci.harvard.edu.

A Chance for Kids & Families

Give $1 at the register at participating BURGER KING restaurants and receive a promotion card with a guaranteed prize, proving that everyone’s a winner when you support Dana-Farber’s fight against cancer in adults and children. To learn more contact Ryan Delaney at 617-582-9675 or ryan_delaney@dfci.harvard.edu.

July 29 – Sept. 2

Thru July 25

Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left) and third baseman Will Middlebrooks have been named Jimmy Fund Co-Captains for 2013. In this role, the two players serve as ambassadors for the Jimmy Fund, raising awareness and building support for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They lend their support to Jimmy Fund events, visit adult and pediatric clinics, thank donors, and more.