City of Hope®’s trajectory in recent years is remarkable. We have evolved from a leading cancer center in California to one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States. Today, nearly 86 million Americans live within close driving distance of one of our five specialized cancer hospitals. And our national clinical trials network is helping more patients access leading-edge therapies closer to home.
The thing that excites me most about our evolution is not growth alone. It is the exponential impact that philanthropy can now have across more people and more communities.
Think about this: Recently, City of Hope was one of 59 cancer centers worldwide that enrolled patients in a phase 3 clinical trial of a new, investigational drug for pancreatic cancer. Remarkably, this drug doubled survival for the sickest patients compared with standard-of-care chemotherapy. It also dramatically improved patients’ reported quality of life.
This game-changing result has inspired renewed hope for a notoriously difficult cancer, and it is already opening pathways to treat what was thought to be an “undruggable” cancer mutation.
The results of the clinical trial were so positive that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration quickly approved an expanded access treatment protocol, through which City of Hope will provide early, pre-FDA-approved access to the drug to patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Thanks to City of Hope’s national presence and our unique national clinical trials model, it is now quicker and easier for patients to participate in these trials and gain early access to promising treatments.
Patricia Andrews, an ICU nurse, enrolled in the recent pancreatic cancer trial under the care of Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., medical director of GI medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County.
She described the trial simply: It changed her life and allowed her to “stay focused on healing, living life to the fullest and spending as much time as possible with my kids and grandkids.”
That’s what this is all about.
In our history, many incredible research and treatment advances at City of Hope have been powered by philanthropy — our bone marrow and stem cell transplant program, CAR T cell therapies, integrative oncology and more. In fact, City of Hope supporters A. Emmet Stephenson Jr. and Tessa Stephenson Brand are donating millions every year through The Stephenson Global Prize to support the very researchers who have made the recent advances against pancreatic cancer. All that progress is now accessible to millions more people across the country.
Philanthropy has also helped us grow. Now, in a connected and nimble network of research and care facilities like ours, donor support can move faster and reach further. It has the potential to transform entire systems and standards of care while delivering a meaningful impact in local communities.
City of Hope’s growth means we have an opportunity — and an obligation — to ensure everyone has access to the lifesaving care they need. Philanthropy remains the catalyst to it all.
Thank you for helping us bring more hope to more people across the country.
Warmly,
Kristin J. Bertell
Chief Philanthropy Officer