In each edition of C3, we look forward to sharing a meaningful benefactor story to illustrate how gifts in support of our University of Colorado Cancer Center faculty members, clinicians, research efforts, and programs make a lasting impact on our community and beyond. In this special anniversary edition, we are humbled by what we discovered when looking back at the CU Cancer Center’s 40-year history.
Remarkable progress has been made in the field of oncology thanks to the dedication of researchers and medical professionals and the generosity of the benefactor community. Cancer is complex and requires equally complex and innovative solutions. Traditional treatments have made significant strides, but groundbreaking research and discoveries are crucial for a future where cancer is less harmful and easier to cure.
This is where the CU Cancer Center comes in: putting high-potential research projects front and center with the sole purpose of advancing and unearthing discoveries that will change — and save — patients’ lives.
“Everything our patients experience, from diagnosis to treatments to ongoing management, was once a discovery made in a research laboratory,” says Richard Schulick, MD, MBA, director of the CU Cancer Center. “Without private support, research doesn’t happen, and progress can’t happen. It’s because of the generosity of our community that we can explore high-risk, high-reward initiatives today.”
Gifts of all sizes play a monumental role in enhancing the entire spectrum of cancer care — from prevention to early detection, treatment and discovery — and help create a legacy of health and well-being for all. As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center headquartered in and serving the state of Colorado, the CU Cancer Center stands as a beacon of hope for the thousands of patients who come to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus looking for answers.
Partners in philanthropy
As we celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the CU Cancer Center, it’s inspiring to reflect on the journey that brought us to this point. Part of what makes the CU Anschutz campus so special is that research, education and clinical care are all gathered in one place. Our campus is primed to support nuanced collaborations, and one such partnership is with the CU Anschutz Office of Advancement.
“Our mission is to help people connect with our campus,” says Scott Arthur, vice chancellor at the Office of Advancement. “Our office exists to ensure stakeholders within and outside the university know, value, and support the important work being done on this academic medical campus. It is through our shared commitment to deliver on the mission of the CU Cancer Center that we can help bring to life our benefactors’ visions for a better world.”
This proactive, strategic approach to philanthropy leverages the unique resources and influence of benefactors to create change. It’s a collaborative process focused on impact, where private support acts as a catalyst for advancement in several ways. Through endowed chairs and additional research funding, philanthropy creates pathways for faculty to make new discoveries in the lab and develop the next generation of cancer treatments. Investments in education and outreach initiatives help to grow the workforce by fostering the development of future researchers and clinicians.
Each year, the CU Cancer Center communicates to current and prospective benefactors to raise awareness of vital cancer research and advanced treatment options, giving benefactors the opportunity to contribute at a level that is significant to them. Every dollar brings us one step closer to a cancer-free world, with all funds going toward:
- Researching immunotherapy treatments for patients currently resistant to these therapies.
- Investigating how to lessen the side effects of chemotherapy to help increase quality of life and survival rates for more patients.
A community of caring
Our incredible benefactor community understands how philanthropy brings people together. At its core, philanthropy is how we spread joy, connect with others, make meaningful impact, and show gratitude. The kindness from our community of supporters has inspired other philanthropic leaders to invest in our program; it is because of their collective generosity that we have achieved so much already.
“Incredible things happen when people come together in pursuit of a shared goal,” says Donald Elliman Jr., chancellor of the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. “The generosity of our benefactor community has been integral to the success of our campus and to the success of the CU Cancer Center. Thanks to private support, we are not only delivering the best care the world has to offer, but we are also reinventing the cures and treatments of tomorrow, right here, right now.”
It is because of our community of supporters that we can carry out essential research, programs, and services. Day by day, person by person, their collective generosity of spirit is what makes the difference in accelerating the pace of discovery, attracting and retaining excellent faculty, and creating better outcomes for patients.
United in purpose
When we harness the power of our community, anything is possible. We are grateful for the tireless support of countless volunteers, benefactors, patients, and other passionate advocates who have dedicated thousands of hours to creating the CU Cancer Center, sustaining it, and helping it reach the prominence it has enjoyed for over four decades. Fueled by science and united by hope, CU Cancer Center supporters have made a massive difference in the lives of people living with cancer.
As we reflect on the past and look to the future, the next decade will be one where we build on our past successes and forge ahead in transforming cancer care — all with the goal of eliminating the suffering associated with cancer. Already, advances made by CU Cancer Center researchers and clinicians have caused the 5-year survival rates for many cancers — including esophageal, liver, and pancreatic cancer — to be higher at the CU Cancer Center than for the nation as a whole.
“Seeing that our survival rates are higher is a point of pride for the CU Cancer Center,” says Wells Messersmith, MD, the cancer center’s associate director of clinical services and division head of medical oncology in the CU School of Medicine. “There are a lot of factors that lead to improved cancer survival rates for patients, one of which is coming to the CU Cancer Center.”
