Foundation News

The Marilyn B. Gula Mountains of Hope Foundation Donates Additional Research Funds to University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center and TGen

CLEVELAND and PHOENIX, July 26, 2010 - The Marilyn B. Gula Mountains of Hope Foundation continues its fight against advanced breast cancer with an additional $60,000 donation to University Hospitals (UH) Ireland Cancer Center, bringing the total donated to $110,000 during the past year. In addition, the Mountains of Hope Foundation  donated $50,000 to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) based in Phoenix for a total contribution of $300,000 within the past two years.

“Our sole mission is to enable research that allows for earlier diagnosis and better treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer, “ said Allen J. Gula, chairman of the Mountains of Hope Foundation. “Collaborative relationships such as those we’ve fostered among renowned research and medical institutions, including TGen and UH Ireland Cancer Center, help to further the Foundation’s efforts to ensure the research gets into the hands of those who stand to benefit the most – the patients.”

The latest donation to UH Ireland Cancer Center, as well as all future proceeds, will be used solely to fund clinical research and treatment options for metastatic breast cancer by UH Ireland Cancer Center physicians, researchers and care providers. Earlier this year, the Mountains of Hope Foundation announced it had also joined forces with the UH Ireland Cancer Center’s “Miracle Fund” to raise ongoing research funds across Northeast Ohio.

“Extensive metastatic breast cancer research is currently underway at UH Ireland Cancer Center thanks to the unwavering commitment of the Mountains of Hope Foundation and their partnership with the UH “Miracle Fund,” said William Schiemann, PhD, co-director, breast cancer research at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. “Our team is focused on discovering the molecular basis for how recurrent breast cancers arise. Defining these deadly rules will enable researchers here at UH and other centers like TGen to develop novel and effective therapies, as well as usher in a new era of personalized medicine to eradicate metastatic breast cancer.”

TGen continues to make significant strides by conducting groundbreaking research into the genetic components of common and complex diseases, including advanced breast cancer. Recent contributions from the Mountains of Hope Foundation were matched with other donations to the TGen Foundation, the fundraising arm of the non-profit biomedical research institute. That combination has enabled bioinformatics expertise to accelerate TGen’s project to Molecularly Characterize Circulating Tumor Cells in Stage IV breast cancer patients.

"The latest donation from the Marilyn B. Gula Mountains of Hope Foundation will add enormously to our ability to turn genomic discoveries in the research laboratory into evidence-based approaches to treat breast cancer patients with advanced disease,” said Dr. Heather Cunliffe, who leads TGen’s Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Unit. “The tremendous amount of data generated by high resolution genomics research poses a significant computational challenge. The support of the Mountains of Hope Foundation has alleviated that bottleneck, and is propelling discovery toward advances in healthcare.”

Michael Bassoff, President of the TGen Foundation, said, “We are proud to team up with the Marilyn B. Gula Mountains of Hope Foundation and other leading institutions to bring new hope to tens of thousands of women with aggressive breast cancer worldwide.”

The Mountains of Hope Foundation was established in 2003 by Marilyn B. Gula, who ultimately lost her decade-long battle with advanced breast cancer, but not before she established the Foundation with the intent of making inroads to improve the detection, treatment and management of this deadly disease for others. 100 percent of all funds donated to the Mountains of Hope Foundation are directly invested in renowned research facilities focused on metastatic breast cancer.