Jerry Vogel, Executive Vice-President, USA, Panthera Dental, has established the Drew O’Donoghue Fund in honor of his 22-year-old nephew who passed away in February after a year-long battle with adrenocortical cancer (ACC). The Fund is designed to support research specifically related to ACC--a rare and aggressive cancer that strikes only about 1,000 people a year in the U.S.--as well as the patients and families affected by it. The Fund is organized through the University of Michigan Health System, where one of the leading experts, Gary Hammer, MD, PhD, Director of Multidisciplinary Adrenal Cancer Program, treats patients, conducts research and is an advocate for fighting ACC. 

“Additionally, we hope to use these funds to promote the coordination of resources, studies, communication and patient care between the University of Michigan and other institutions across the country, like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where Drew was being treated,” says Vogel. “This is an orphan disease [rare] that affects a small percentage of the population so very limited funding comes into it.”

To learn more about AAC, visit http://mcancer.org/adrenal-cancer; to make a donation, visit http://victors.us/drewodonoghue.  

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