Colleen’s Dream Foundation Donates $10,000 to Johns Hopkins Medicine for Ovarian Cancer Research
Colleen’s Dream Foundation, in partnership with Fidelity National Title Agency, has donated $10,000 to Johns Hopkins Medicine to fund ovarian cancer research, according to Colleen’s Dream Foundation President Billy Cundiff.
According to Cundiff, this is the second year in a row Colleen’s Dream Foundation has supported ovarian cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“One of the main goals of Colleen’s Dream Foundation is to work with promising young investigators at some of the top research hospitals and universities that are researching ovarian cancer,” says Cundiff. “So it only makes sense that we are once again supporting ovarian cancer research being conducted at Johns Hopkins.”
Cundiff says this year’s grant to Johns Hopkins will go to Dr. Hiroyasu Kashima.
According to Dr. Robert Kurman, Director of the Division of Gynecologic Pathology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Kashima’s research currently focuses on the prevention of ovarian cancer.
“Prevention is probably the most effective way of reducing morbidity and mortality from ovarian cancer,” says Kurman. “Dr. Kashima’s research, which focuses on re-purposing a drug that has been used for many years for use in preventing ovarian cancer, would be an important breakthrough.”
Kurman adds the grant from Colleen’s Dream Foundation will both support Dr. Kashima’s research and help to launch him as an independent ovarian cancer investigator.
“In his future work, Dr. Kashima will study the molecular mechanisms underlying how statins prevent the development of ovarian cancer,” says Kurman. “These studies will provide the biological basis for the development of clinical trials to determine whether statins can indeed prevent ovarian cancer in high-risk women.”
Cundiff, who is the kicker for the Cleveland Browns, says the $10,000 grant supporting Dr. Kashima’s ovarian cancer research is a direct result of the sponsorship and support provided by Dustin Gaskey and Fidelity National Title Insurance Company in Phoenix, Arizona.
“Dustin and his team at Fidelity National Title have been amazing. Their dedication to Colleen’s Dream and our mission is remarkable,” says Cundiff. “We are honored that they have joined us in supporting the valuable ovarian cancer research that Dr. Kashima is performing at Johns Hopkins.”
Gaskey says it was an easy decision to partner with Cundiff and Colleen’s Dream Foundation to help fight ovarian cancer.
“As a father, a husband, a brother, and a son…participating with Colleen’s Dream Foundation to assist in the early detection of ovarian cancer is a no brainier for us,” says Gaskey. “We thank the entire team for the opportunity to be a member of the Colleen’s Dream Family.”
ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER:
Ovarian cancer is often referred to as “the silent killer” because many women do not discover their disease until it is in the late stages, which leads to many women succumbing to the disease within a short period of time. Unlike cervical or breast cancer, ovarian cancer does not have a standardized early detection procedure. When it comes to women’s health, ovarian cancer proves to be one of the deadliest diseases.
ABOUT COLLEEN’S DREAM FOUNDATION:
Colleen’s Dream Foundation started in 2012 and supports research for early detection and improved treatment for ovarian cancer. The story of Colleen’s Dream started in 2007 when Colleen Drury – Nicole Cundiff’s mother and Billy Cundiff’s mother-in-law – was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. The family became aware of a new world that was filled with invasive surgery, harsh chemotherapy, and lots of uncertainty, and realized they needed to help others who were dealing with ovarian cancer.
Colleen’s Dream Foundation believes it is important to raise money for research that will lead to reliable early detection testing and improved treatment for ovarian cancer. Because so little is known about ovarian cancer in proportion to other women’s health issues, there is an incredible opportunity for research and education.
Go here to find out more about Colleen’s Dream Foundation.
Colleen’s Dream Foundation is a qualified 501 (c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona.