Built on a shared vision that spans of the top cancer research centers in the world

PARTNERSHIPS

Break Through Cancers is built on a shared vision that spans of the top cancer research centers in the world: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Together we are committed to reducing the administrative burden of research to enable focus on scientific discoveries and ensuring that science benefits patients as quickly as possible.

COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH

For many years, the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research, established by Mr. and Mrs. William H. Goodwin Jr., has supported the five outstanding cancer centers that today comprise the Break Through Cancer family of participating institutions.

In 2017, the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research encouraged the five cancer centers to imagine the power of a multi-institutional collaboration to accelerate cancer research. The Foundation’s encouragement took on a new level of urgency when the Goodwin’s eldest son, Hunter, was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. The creation of a new foundation to support collaborative research became Hunter’s passion, and ultimately his legacy. He lost his battle with cancer in January 2020.

The Goodwin Family and the Estate of Hunter Goodwin have made a transformative $250M challenge pledge to Break Through Cancer. Their support seeds the foundation, giving us tremendous ammunition to work together to identify, shape, and resource the very best ideas and bring them to clinical implementation. Importantly, their gift challenges Break Through Cancer to raise significant additional support, so we may fund collaborative teams, bringing a greater sense of urgency and possibility to the Foundation’s life-changing work.

Alice and Bill Goodwin
“We believe this effort to fight cancer, particularly with collaborative research, has a realistic probability of success. We want to help people have better lives. And we sincerely hope that by being public with our support, we will inspire others to support this incredible effort.” – Bill Goodwin

The Conquering KRAS in Pancreatic Cancer project is supported in partnership with the Lustgarten Foundation. Lustgarten is the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer researcher and has a singular mission: transforming pancreatic cancer into a curable disease. Read More

“There is no greater power than pulling together committed, intelligent, ambitious people to work on a shared problem.”

Susan Hockfield, PhD, President Emerita, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Member, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Break Through Cancer’s differentiator is its commitment to collaboration. Aligning some of the country’s most talented clinical researchers, scientists, and engineers will be a powerful weapon in the fight against deadly cancers.”

David Scheinberg, MD, PhD, Chair, Molecular Pharmacology Program and Director, Experimental Therapeutics Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

“The Break Through Cancer resources are transformative. Everything is on the table in terms of engaging industry partners, government, or other institutions to facilitate the work and make an impact on patients’ lives.”

Emily Roarty, PhD., Associate Vice President, Strategy and Impact, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

“There is no greater power than pulling together committed, intelligent, ambitious people to work on a shared problem.”

Susan Hockfield, PhD, President Emerita, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Member, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Break Through Cancer can only imagine this world of multi-institutional collaboration because of essential, foundational support from the National Cancer Institute, and countless cancer research foundations, philanthropists, and companies who, over many years, have supported individual scientists and teams of researchers.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Break Through Cancer was created in February 2021 with an extraordinary matching gift of $250,000,000. Every gift to the Foundation supports groundbreaking cancer research and helps us to meet our matching commitment.

For questions about giving please email Lisa Schwarz, Chief Philanthropy Officer at LMS@BreakThroughCancer.org

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