The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) announced Thursday, July 9th, that it is opening a new Lung Cancer Center—The Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller Center for Lung Cancer Research (DCLCR). The DCLCR was made possible by a $25 million donation from MSK board member Stanley Druckenmiller and his wife, Fiona.
“Dramatic advancements have been made in the treatment of and screening for lung caner, but it continues to be the most deadly form of cancer,” said MSK President and CEO Craig B. Thompson, MD. Thompson notes that, in 2015 there are estimated to be more than 200,000 new cases of the disease in the U.S. alone. “It is a critical time to be on the forefront of fighting this disease, and now, thanks to the generosity of Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller, we can amplify the work we’ve done to fight lung cancer both in the clinical setting in the lab.”
MSK is accustomed to receiving large philanthropic donations that create fantastic opportunities for them. For example, in 2014 the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology (CMO) was opened, thanks to a $100 million donation from, you guessed it, philanthropists Henry R. Kravis and his wife Marie-Josée Kravis.
The DCLCR, according to MSK, will promote the development and testing of novel strategies to treat lung cancer through several overlapping initiatives.
The DCLCR will allow MSK to do even more good for the ill. Lung cancer especially is a potent killer. In fact, it is the leading killer in both men and women in the U.S.! While smoking is a main cause of lung cancer, contributing to between roughly 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer, it is possible to have lung cancer even if you have never smoked—this can occur through exposure to second-hand smoke, or for many other reasons.
Looking to learn more about philanthropy in the world of lung cancer research, or do you feel moved to make a donation? Click here to visit the Lung Cancer Research foundation’s website.