The McKenna Claire Foundation has announced a $70,000 donation to Dr. Michelle Monje’s Laboratory at Stanford University.

From our press release…

The current donation of $70,000 will pay the second half year’s salary as well as provide much
needed financial support for new in vivo experiments being conducted to test various drug
combinations on live DIPG tumor cells growing in the environment of the brainstem. Each
such experiment costs between $10,000 to $15,000 per drug combination. Already much has
been learned from the donated tumor cells and there is hope that soon this new knowledge will
open up new treatment options for children currently or net yet diagnosed with DIPG. Says Dr.
Monje, “There has been progress made in the [initial] drug screening that will likely become a
clinical trial within a large national consortium.”

It has been a busy year for the Foundation, and thanks to our supporters and partners we have had a number of successful fund raising events that have helped to make this donation possible.

Again from our press release…

The funds donated to the Monje Lab were raised through various foundation fundraisers such
as a local high school volleyball event, a Slip n Slide a Thon, “Cellabrations” and the 2nd
Annual Party with a Purpose which was held this past May and raised over $54,000. Another
major source comes from the support received through a recent partnership with Chevron
Corporation, whose Southern California stores sponsored a fundraising campaign during the
month of May, pediatric brain cancer awareness month, raising a staggering $293,000. Future
fundraisers are already planned, including the first annual MCF Golf Tournament to be held at
Tijera’s Creek Golf Course on October 12, 2012. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are
still available. Interested persons can learn more by visiting the foundation’s website at
www.mckennaclairefoundation.org. Similar to previous fundraising efforts, proceeds will go
towards funding medical research for a cure for pediatric brain cancer.

Click here to read the full press release.