Fighting Cancer Takes Community

Any gift in the fight against cancer goes a long way. Your donation becomes part of the arsenal used to battle and cure life-threatening, debilitating conditions. “Donations help fund research that advances the knowledge of cancer and the ability to treat cancer,” says Thomas Froehlich, M.D., Medical Director of the Hematology-Oncology Clinics at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The available funding is not enough to help us advance as quickly as we can. Additional donations are extraordinarily beneficial in facilitating research.”

A philanthropic gift can also elevate patient care by funding research and propelling the education of new medical leaders and providers who effect change in treatments, screenings, and preventions. 

Gifts can also support the development of facilities so people can have a place to get treatment. “We just broke ground on a new cancer center,” Dr. Froehlich says. “We’re going to need the help of donors to make it the best cancer center it can be.”

Here’s how your gift can help individuals and families, and ultimately save lives. 

Fund Education and Training

The fight against cancer requires a constant flow of driven, empathetic, and innovative individuals entering the medical and scientific fields. “Donations are really important in the education of medical professionals,” Dr. Froehlich says. Through scholarships and other awards, a donation can help future physicians, scientists, researchers, medical health professionals, and hospital and clinical staff members overcome financial barriers in education. Gifts can help make dreams a reality and spark careers that bring about new treatment discoveries and advances in patient care. Contributions to the annual fund or the alumni fund are a great way to bolster education for the next generation of leaders in cancer medicine.  

Spur New Research

Groundbreaking cancer treatment options stem from the hard work and dedication of early research. Although federal grants are available, these research-funding awards can be hard to obtain when a faculty member is just beginning their career. That’s one reason why personal and business donations from the community are so important to a cancer center. Membership in the President’s Research Council and/or the UT Southwestern Circle of Friends provides access to engaging educational programs and helps fund promising, early stage research.

Elevate Patient Care 

Whether you choose to donate to education, research, or a mix of both, your generosity ultimately benefits patients who have a cancer diagnosis or have risk factors for developing various types of cancer. Donations fuel knowledge. That knowledge helps physicians, faculty, and staff provide cutting-edge treatments and care. It also drives advances in screenings for the early detection of abnormal or cancer cells. Early detection can help halt disease progression and increase chances of survival. Research and new findings also help physicians better assess risk factors and make recommendations to patients on the best preventive measures. To learn more about what inspired generous donors to support life-changing discovery, healing, and education at UT Southwestern, read our shared stories.