Funding from Sparboe endowed chair allows ovarian cancer research to flourish (Minnesota Medical Foundation)

Determined to make a difference: A cancer survivor thanks her doctor with gifts to support his work in ovarian cancer (Minnesota Medical Foundation)

Paying it forward: A daughter honors her father with a scholarship that keeps on giving (Minnesota Medical Foundation)

Swim for a cure
Michelle Macy recently reawakened her dream to marathon swim and simultaneously turned the effort into an inspiring campaign to support breast cancer research. Her journey began when she completed her first solo swim of the English Channel in September 2007.

A legacy of giving
A Twin Cities native and University of Minnesota alumna, Eva Constantine donated an unrestricted estate gift to the Masonic Cancer Center—creating a legacy inspired by her own battle with cancer.

Forster family gift focuses on stopping cancer before it starts
Barbara Forster's family's experiences with cancer, as well as their confidence in the leadership and quality of research at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, have inspired their generous contributions to the Masonic Cancer Center. Forster and her family gave $1 million to the Masonic Cancer Center; half of the donation supports cancer prevention efforts and tobacco use research, and half endows the Forster Family Professorship in Cancer Prevention.

Professorship helps fund Hatsukami's research goals
Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., is on a mission to prevent deaths caused by smoking. The Forster Family Professorship in Cancer Prevention helps to fund Hatsukami's goals and efforts.

An advocate for myeloma research and patient education
Karl Vollstedt learned that he had multiple myeloma about four years ago. To "get above" his diagnosis emotionally, he has focused his attention on educating himself and others about multiple myeloma and its management. He is also rallying people to the cause of myeloma research.

Hope Lodge update
Construction of The Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge is nearing completion. The three-story facility is located on University Avenue, a few short blocks from the University of Minnesota cancer clinics, and will provide a "home away from home" for adult cancer patients and their caregivers.

Stick it to Cancer
Women who love to play hockey have partnered with the Masonic Cancer Center to fight a common foe — breast cancer. The Stick it to Cancer Women's Ice Hockey Tournament has raised $82,000 in the last two years for breast cancer research.

Every little bit helps
When Delores Gales died, her family directed memorial contributions to the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. It was a fitting tribute that helped support research.

Because of Katie
Thirteen-year-old Katie Hageboeck's 16-month battle with leukemia ended in 1979, but her wish to help other children with cancer lives on and has become an inspiration. Katie asked that when she died, Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) be named as her memorial fund, and that the money she had been saving for a 10-speed bike go into this fund. Her parents, Diana and Norm Hageboeck had learned about CCRF during Katie's treatment at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. Every time a child died, a hat was passed in the parents' lounge to collect donations for the fund in memory of the child. The Hageboecks followed Katie's request, and decided to do much more.

Randy and Roseann Giovanatto-Shaver help the Masonic Cancer Center make advances against melanoma
"In an 11-month period of time, both Randy and I were diagnosed with cancer — Randy with Stage IV Hodgkin's and me with Stage 1, Clarks level 2 melanoma," says Roseann Giovanatto-Shaver, executive director of the Randy Shaver Celebrity Golf Classic. "We are advocates of the exciting approach to medicine at the University of Minnesota and it is our privilege to fund clinical trials at the Masonic Cancer Center."

Steve Wrench, survivor
As a 19-year-old in 1974, Steve Wrench was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in his brainstem. Now he is treated at the University of Minnesota's Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic, and he supports research at the Masonic Cancer Center. "I feel a responsibility to contribute to cancer research to help future cancer patients," he says.

Helping to make a difference
"So much is possible with early detection and appropriate treatment," says Ruth Hanold, donor to the Masonic Cancer Center and numerous charitable causes, including endowed scholarships for medical students and research for macular degeneration. "Research can help to understand the problem and to find a better solution."

Giving into the future
With their extensive background in the health field, Teri and John Kast wanted to give to the Masonic Cancer Center through their estate. "John and I both see how the benefits of cutting-edge technology and research can offer patients hope for survival," says Teri.

Giving a face to research
Financial support from private donors helps researchers like Daniel Vallera, Ph.D., collect preliminary research data necessary to secure larger funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its National Cancer Institute (NCI). For the last several years, Vallera's research on an innovative drug therapy to treat Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) has been generously supported by donor Jeff Lion.

Turning loss into a search for answers
Don and Kathryn Mertz established a melanoma research fund to honor their son Jon and to help find better treatments for patients diagnosed with the cancer. After losing their son Jon to melanoma, the Mertz family established the Jon Clement Mertz Endowment for Melanoma Research at the Masonic Cancer Center.

In their own words
Bloomington residents Martin and Janet Chorzempa contributed $1 million to the Masonic Cancer Center for novel therapeutics research. Here, in their own words, is why they chose to make this generous donation to help others.

'Something I can do'
When Patricia Fairbanks' only son Bradley was diagnosed with bladder cancer three years ago, she was devastated. "I felt a profound sense of helplessness," says Fairbanks, a retired school teacher who lives in a western suburb of Minneapolis. "I knew I had to do something, but I didn't know what."

Leukemia Research Fund seeds novel ideas in cancer research
The Leukemia Research Fund distributes research funds to University of Minnesota faculty who are encouraged to submit novel, untested ideas so that the grants can function as seed money. This helps to move new ideas forward to the point where investigators can secure long-term national funding.