FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2008

(BUFFALO, NY) Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) has unveiled a new fundraising campaign with the theme, NEVER STOP BUFFALO^SM. The campaign’s theme reflects Western New York’s generous giving tradition, hometown pride in Roswell Park’s medical and scientific advances as a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the importance of continued research funding to save lives locally and around the world.
 
The campaign utilizes patient spokespersons like Christine Sable to share their firsthand experiences of the positive impact Roswell Park’s research can have. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Sable took part in a clinical trial of a new ovarian cancer vaccine developed by Roswell Park’s Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD. Community donations made to Roswell Park were crucial for initial research of the vaccine.

In Sable’s case, the vaccine was administered after conventional chemotherapy. It has improved her immune system’s ability to fight off a recurrence of the disease without harsh side effects. “Roswell Park is such an incredible place,” said Sable. “It has given so many people hope, and given them their lives back.”

With additional funding from campaigns like NEVER STOP BUFFALO, similar developments will be accelerated to help create new treatments for many other forms of cancer. Dollars raised from the campaign will be competitively-awarded as grants to research projects submitted to RPCI’s research advisory committee by Roswell Park doctors and scientists. Grants will be awarded to projects showing the greatest potential to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis and care.

“Christine Sable is just one of thousands of patients who arrive at Roswell each year looking for life-saving treatments for the hundreds of cancers we treat,” explained Donald L. Trump, MD, Roswell Park’s President and CEO. “Now, more than ever, we need our community’s continued support. We will never stop searching, never stop healing, and never stop fighting until cancer is defeated.”

To learn more, or to donate to NEVER STOP BUFFALO, call (716) 845-4444 or make a secure online gift today at http://www.neverstopbuffalo.com.

The Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, founded in 1991, is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization formed to receive and administer funds supporting scientific and clinical research, state-of-the-art medical care, and patient-related activities at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center. The Institute was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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