The community plays a key role in ensuring that the Masonic Cancer Center continues to be a national leader and a local resource in discovering new cancer treatment, providing survivors and their families with a better quality of life, and educating the public about methods of cancer detection and prevention. Thanks to the generous philanthropic support of thousands of individuals, foundations, and businesses, the Masonic Cancer Center is able to work toward its mission of advancing knowledge about cancer and enhancing care for patients.

Masonic Cancer Center donors, fiscal year 2008 (PDF)

On this page:

• Organizational giving helps fund cancer research
  • Herberger's
  • Regis Foundation
  • Community Health Charities-Minnesota
  • Other corporations
• Community support for cancer research
  • Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund

Organizational giving helps fund cancer research

Herberger's "Charge Against Breast Cancer" supports the Breast Cancer Research Program every time a customer makes a purchase with the Herberger's "Rose" charge card. The program began in 2001 and has since raised $428,174 for breast cancer research at the Masonic Cancer Center. Now owned by Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., Herberger's is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., and has been in business for more than 100 years.

October: Herberger's promotion benefits Masonic Cancer Center
On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, Herberger's will donate 1 percent of all purchases made with their "Rose" charge card to breast cancer research at the Masonic Cancer Center. Also, throughout the month of October, Herberger's will promote its Pink Shop, featuring breast cancer awareness items including lunch totes and a new reusable shopping tote created by Sheryl Crow.

Regis Foundation has provided $1,125,000 for early diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and research of breast cancer. The foundation is sponsored by Regis Corporation, the world's largest international hair fashion company with more than 11,000 owned or franchised stores located in North America and Europe. At the Masonic Cancer Center, Regis Foundation funds support a research nurse who helps patients and families during their diagnosis and treatment. The foundation also has supported pilot research studies and research fellowships.

Community Health Charities-Minnesota raised more than $73,913 last year for research at the Masonic Cancer Center. Founded in 1986 by seven charter member charities to provide one efficient fundraising vehicle, the Minnesota affiliate of Community Health Charities is now a federation of 27 member health charities that are dedicated to preventing, managing, and curing chronic health conditions. It established workplace giving programs for employees of Minnesota corporations to contribute funds through payroll deduction.

Many other corporations, including General Mills, Ecolab, Medtronic, and U.S. Bancorp, participate in matching gifts programs. The Masonic Cancer Center encourages employees of other corporations to ask their employers about starting a matching gift program for cancer research.

Community support for cancer research

Groups committed to raising public awareness and organizing fundraisers for cancer research are important to the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. Funds raised by these groups help the Masonic Cancer Center conduct innovative research, provide education programs, and offer leading-edge treatment.

Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund

Donations from the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund help support the efforts of several Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota researchers to find better treatments. Among these allocated donations, the Randy Shaver Fund is supporting a pioneering phase II clinical trial investigating the large multivalent immunogen (LMI) vaccine to treat melanoma. Read more.