Tina’s Wish, a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to funding scientific research for the early detection of ovarian cancer, recently announced its eight 2017–2018 individual grant recipients after soliciting proposals nationally for the first time. Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, Penn Medicine, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, and Yale Cancer Center will receive funding. The Foundation utilized a team of expert external reviewers in addition to the Tina’s Wish Scientific Advisory Board for the 9-month selection process.
Meaningful Contributions to Advances in Research
I truly believe that the work of the Foundation will drive meaningful discovery and interventions in this area that would not otherwise be possible.— Douglas Levine, MD
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Douglas Levine, MD, Director of Gynecologic Oncology at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center and Tina’s Wish Scientific Advisory Board Chair, remarked on the high quality and quantity of projects received.
“The dedication and drive of Tina’s Wish [are] being noticed across the country, and the Foundation is now in a position to make critical contributions to the mission,” said Dr. Levine. “I truly believe that the work of the Foundation will drive meaningful discovery and interventions in this area that would not otherwise be possible.”
The majority of patients with ovarian cancer are identified in advanced stages due to subtle symptoms and the lack of effective early-detection screening. Statistically, only 27% of patients diagnosed during stage III/IV survive for 5 years, compared with 92% of women diagnosed during stage I.
Since its inception 9 years ago, Tina’s Wish has raised more than $8.5 million for ovarian cancer research grants and has become the third largest private funding source dedicated to early detection ovarian cancer research. The Foundation created a collaborative research consortium in 2015, bringing together scientists from five world-class institutions who are sharing uniform cancer specimens and developing innovative prevention and diagnostic strategies. ■
