Family Fundraiser Benefits the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The William Raveis Charitable Fund (WRCF) is pleased to announce the annual Raveis Ride + Walk fundraiser will take place on Sunday, September 18 at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk. The proceeds from this family-friendly event benefit two of the most prestigious and innovative cancer organizations in the country: the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, which funds the most promising scientists conducting cutting-edge cancer research; and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which is committed to providing adults and children with cancer the best treatment available, while also developing tomorrow’s cures through cutting-edge research. The annual Ride + Walk includes a 5K walk, a 12-mile and 25-mile bike ride, and a children’s 100-yard dash, as well as fun, family games and prizes. The event will be held both in-person and virtually for participants. Registration is open now.
“The William Raveis Charitable Fund’s annual Ride + Walk has grown into one of the most successful and most inspiring fundraising events within our eight-state footprint of the Northeast and Florida,” said Meghan Raveis, director of the WRCF. “Our Raveis communities are truly dedicated to making a direct impact in cancer fundraising. The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are conducting cutting-edge research, and we are deeply honored to support their work through this event.”
The WRCF has raised nearly $3.5 million for Damon Runyon over their seven year collaboration. WRCF has funded 20 scientists who are researching seven different types of cancer at 10 different institutions in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.
Damon Runyon identifies the brightest early-career scientists with innovative research ideas and provides them with funding to pursue new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat all forms of cancer. Since 1946, this exceptional organization has invested nearly $375 million and funded more than 3,750 young scientists, including 12 Nobel Laureates. Earlier this year, three Damon Runyon alumni were elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors a scientist can receive. This membership recognizes their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. This brings the total number of Damon Runyon scientists who are members of the National Academy of Sciences to 89.
For the third year, WRCF is donating a portion of the Ride + Walk proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Founded in Boston in 1947, the institute blends leading science and exceptional care into transformative medicine. Dana-Farber is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and federally designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center that develops and disseminates innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world. Since 1948, the Jimmy Fund has raised millions of dollars through thousands of community efforts to advance Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.
Research Scientists Use Cancer Biology to Determine COVID Impacts
COVID-19 has mobilized scientists across the globe in an effort to understand and prevent the virus. Some Damon Runyon scientists temporarily pivoted their research to contribute to this critical goal by investigating how the virus enters human cells, developing more efficient testing, and searching for treatments.
Recent work and discoveries by William Raveis Charitable Fund scientists include the following:
Joshua Brody, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and Matthew Oser, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, aim to identify new therapeutic targets for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and improve understanding of mechanisms required for SCLC tumorigenesis. Together with William G. Kaelin Jr., MD (Damon Runyon Board member and 2019 Nobel Laureate) and colleagues, they recently published this study in the journal Science Advances (February 2021). Adrienne Boire, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, utilized tools used in cancer biology to determine the causes of “COVID Brain Fog,” an unusual symptom that causes headaches, confusion, and short-term memory loss in COVID-19 patients weeks after they become sick with the virus. Her study was published in the journal Cancer Cell (February 2021).
In addition to being the WRCF director, Meghan Raveis is on the Board of Directors of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Bill Raveis, Chairman and CEO of William Raveis, founded the William Raveis Charitable Fund in 2004. William Raveis Co-Presidents Ryan Raveis and Chris Raveis are also founders of the Raveis Ride + Walk.
About the William Raveis Charitable Fund
Since its founding in 2004, the William Raveis Charitable Fund has been on the forefront of raising money to support communities across the Northeast that are impacted by cancer. Their focus is on the advancement of cancer research and programs that offer cancer patients and their families’ physical and emotional support during treatment. In 2015, the fund partnered with the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, which provides young scientists with the funding to pursue their boldest, and most innovative ideas to prevent, diagnose, and treat all forms of cancer. To date, Raveis has raised nearly $3.5 million and funded 16 scientists with the William Raveis Charitable Fund Fellowships. To learn more and to contribute to the cause, please visit raveisridewalk.com.