Local Cancer Fund-Raisers Hear Report From IU Cancer Center
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - Last year, more than $40,000 was raised in Kosciusko County for the Indiana University Cancer Research Center.
As a way to say thank-you, Indiana University School of Medicine Senior Associate Director Mary A. Maxwell spoke at The Boathouse Restaurant Wednesday to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund committee and guests to explain what the money has helped the Center do.
Part of that $40,000, she said, went to pilot project funding.
As an NCI-designated cancer center, I.U. Cancer Center is encouraged to stimulate interdisciplinary and collaborative research. Last year, nearly $300,000 in pilot project funding was allocated by the Cancer Center director, all but $50,000 of the funding coming from philanthropic resources.
The pilot project research goal is to allow the Cancer Center director to act quickly on ideas for new avenues of cancer research by funding investigations within the I.U. Cancer Center community. Investigators are encouraged to submit their proposals to the director, and the proposals are reviewed for scientific excellence, according to Maxwell.
Once research is completed, data is then submitted to national funding sources to secure larger grants in the interest area.
"It helps get projects started that otherwise may not get started," Maxwell said.
The Center's bone cancer program used donor funding to create a basic science program where none existed previously, because of the pilot project funding.
"I'm really happy to report that we have 15 (investigators) in Indiana ... studying bone cancer now," Maxwell said.
Last year, $90,000 in pilot project funding was awarded for the study of bone cancer, and Maxwell said "gifts like yours make pilot projects like (this) possible."
A laser capture micro-dissection system also was purchased with the help of part of the $40,000 raised last year in Kosciusko County.
The technology helps isolate cancer cells from surrounding tissue under the microscope.
"We now have," Maxwell said, "the best technology to look at cancer cells, and we go from there."
The development of an investment fund for costly genetic analysis of tumors also was made possible through philanthropy. According to information provided by Maxwell, "through the Indiana Genetics Initiative, a micro-array center will be opened on the medical school campus. Tumor analysis is expected to cost $2,000 to $6,000 per sample. The Cancer Center is creating a fund to ensure that its members will be able to utilize this expensive technology to learn more about the DNA of each tumor and develop a correspondingly appropriate treatment."
To help with breast cancer research, two cancer geneticists, a husband and wife, from a breast cancer research team in Maryland are being brought to Indiana, Maxwell said.
They believe breast cancer diagnosis may be able to be done in the future by a simple blood test, though it won't eliminate breast imaging altogether.
An area in cancer research the Center hopes to look at and study, Maxwell said, is early breast cancer detection in girls. With early prognosis, it is hoped a doctor can advise a young girl on what to do or not do to prevent her from getting breast cancer in the future.
Throughout her speech, Maxwell continued to thank the county for support.
"We are really appreciative of Kosciusko County," Maxwell said. "You really are affecting us on every level."
The Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund exists to help ease the financial burden often felt by patients and their families. Since patients are often unable to continue working during treatment, a cancer diagnosis can be financially devastating.
The fund helps Kosciusko County cancer patients and their families with a variety of needs. The goal of the fund is to allow the patient to focus more on treatment and recovery and less on financial difficulties.
The Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund is administered through the K21 Foundation office, under the guidance of a committee of Kosciusko County residents experienced in dealing with cancer issues.
For more information on the Cancer Care Fund, call 269-5188 or fax 269-5193. [[In-content Ad]]
WINONA LAKE - Last year, more than $40,000 was raised in Kosciusko County for the Indiana University Cancer Research Center.
As a way to say thank-you, Indiana University School of Medicine Senior Associate Director Mary A. Maxwell spoke at The Boathouse Restaurant Wednesday to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund committee and guests to explain what the money has helped the Center do.
Part of that $40,000, she said, went to pilot project funding.
As an NCI-designated cancer center, I.U. Cancer Center is encouraged to stimulate interdisciplinary and collaborative research. Last year, nearly $300,000 in pilot project funding was allocated by the Cancer Center director, all but $50,000 of the funding coming from philanthropic resources.
The pilot project research goal is to allow the Cancer Center director to act quickly on ideas for new avenues of cancer research by funding investigations within the I.U. Cancer Center community. Investigators are encouraged to submit their proposals to the director, and the proposals are reviewed for scientific excellence, according to Maxwell.
Once research is completed, data is then submitted to national funding sources to secure larger grants in the interest area.
"It helps get projects started that otherwise may not get started," Maxwell said.
The Center's bone cancer program used donor funding to create a basic science program where none existed previously, because of the pilot project funding.
"I'm really happy to report that we have 15 (investigators) in Indiana ... studying bone cancer now," Maxwell said.
Last year, $90,000 in pilot project funding was awarded for the study of bone cancer, and Maxwell said "gifts like yours make pilot projects like (this) possible."
A laser capture micro-dissection system also was purchased with the help of part of the $40,000 raised last year in Kosciusko County.
The technology helps isolate cancer cells from surrounding tissue under the microscope.
"We now have," Maxwell said, "the best technology to look at cancer cells, and we go from there."
The development of an investment fund for costly genetic analysis of tumors also was made possible through philanthropy. According to information provided by Maxwell, "through the Indiana Genetics Initiative, a micro-array center will be opened on the medical school campus. Tumor analysis is expected to cost $2,000 to $6,000 per sample. The Cancer Center is creating a fund to ensure that its members will be able to utilize this expensive technology to learn more about the DNA of each tumor and develop a correspondingly appropriate treatment."
To help with breast cancer research, two cancer geneticists, a husband and wife, from a breast cancer research team in Maryland are being brought to Indiana, Maxwell said.
They believe breast cancer diagnosis may be able to be done in the future by a simple blood test, though it won't eliminate breast imaging altogether.
An area in cancer research the Center hopes to look at and study, Maxwell said, is early breast cancer detection in girls. With early prognosis, it is hoped a doctor can advise a young girl on what to do or not do to prevent her from getting breast cancer in the future.
Throughout her speech, Maxwell continued to thank the county for support.
"We are really appreciative of Kosciusko County," Maxwell said. "You really are affecting us on every level."
The Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund exists to help ease the financial burden often felt by patients and their families. Since patients are often unable to continue working during treatment, a cancer diagnosis can be financially devastating.
The fund helps Kosciusko County cancer patients and their families with a variety of needs. The goal of the fund is to allow the patient to focus more on treatment and recovery and less on financial difficulties.
The Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund is administered through the K21 Foundation office, under the guidance of a committee of Kosciusko County residents experienced in dealing with cancer issues.
For more information on the Cancer Care Fund, call 269-5188 or fax 269-5193. [[In-content Ad]]