Donor Support and Events
DONATING TO ADVANCE MELANOMA RESEARCH Honoring a Legacy: The Reese Ward Foundation
The MRF is proud to announce two groundbreaking research grants funded by the Ward Family and Reese Ward Foundation, in honor of Cameron Reese Ward. Reese passed on December 29, 2022, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, strength and unwavering hope. To honor Reese and continue the fight against melanoma, the Ward family has dedicated themselves to advancing melanoma research and improving outcomes for patients and their families through the Reese Ward Foundation. Through their 2024 Hoops for Hope event in Raleigh, NC, the Ward Family funded a $200,000 Established Investigator Award to support
Kari Kendra’s, MD, PhD research at Ohio State University on “TGFßi NK Cell Infusions in Patients with Melanoma Brain Metastases.” Dr. Kendra’s research is to examine how to combat brain metastasis — a huge hurdle for metastatic melanoma patients with a small percentage who are able to fully respond to treatment. Building on this momentum, the Ward Family will be hosting the Reese Ward Foundation’s inaugural Black and White Ball on March 1, 2025, which will fund a $100,000 Career Development Award to support Sarwish Rafiq’s, PhD, MA research at Emory University on “engaging the endogenous immune system with CAR T cells”. Reese’s legacy of compassion, courage and faith lives on through these grants, offering hope to countless melanoma patients and their families.
30 • Stewardship Report
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