Roswell Park Receives $1.5 Million

As the nation commemorates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) has announced the establishment of a $1.5 million endowed fund in Breast Oncology from the Alfiero Family Charitable Foundation of Western New York. The fund will support the Institute's renowned breast cancer research and treatment programs. Pictured above, Stephen B. Edge, MD, FACS, RPCI's current chair of breast surgery and medical director of the RPCI Breast Center, will become the fund's first endowed chair holder.

"It's important that Roswell Park have every resource needed to not only recruit, but also retain top doctors for the care of Western New York's residents," said Sal Alfiero, president of the foundation. "This is something that we wanted to do despite the current challenges of the economy. Cancer doesn't take a break, women continue to be diagnosed with this disease, and we must continue to support the inspiring advances being made by Roswell Park."

The Alfiero Foundation Endowed Chair in Breast Oncology will provide a secure base of annual funding for Dr. Edge to continue to grow the Breast Center's programs and to explore the latest in clinical treatments for patients.

"We are grateful to the Alfieros for their significant gift that will benefit so many women and their families," said Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, President and CEO, RPCI. "We are making tremendous progress in breast cancer research, but much more research is needed if we are to achieve our goal of 100 percent cure. This endowment will help advance Roswell Park studies in individualized therapies in women and development of novel population-based approaches to understanding breast cancer treatment."