The Breakthrough Board - Cancer Research Foundation

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Our Mission

THIS IS THE FACE OF THE BREAKTHROUGH BOARD.

OUR NAME IS OUR MISSION.

We are a purpose-driven board with over 70 years of dedication to raising funds in support of breakthroughs in cancer research at UChicago Medicine. We invest in research programs with high potential to nurture discovery across a spectrum of innovation in cancer prevention, diagnostics, and treatment. Formerly the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board, in 2021 we joined forces with the Cancer Research Foundation in recognition of our shared values and like-minded approach to strategically backing breakthrough cancer research initiatives at UChicago Medicine with strong potential to save lives. View our board roster here

Invest in our mission

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SEEDING BREAKTHROUGHS

Our celebrated fundraising events have raised over $10MM over the last seven years alone in support of life-saving cancer research discovery at UChicago Medicine.
We take great pride in our strategic approach to cancer research investment. We work closely with UChicago Cancer Center leadership and cancer research advisors within the Cancer Research Foundation to identify innovative programs with high breakthrough promise; but without the critical level of funding needed to fuel discovery. This successful investment strategy has returned nearly 20 times our initial seed funding in incremental grants to support UChicago Medicine’s brilliant cancer researchers and scientists. Our work has helped to usher in the new era of cancer genetics, including discovery of the genetic basis of leukemia. We’ve sponsored innovative new strategies for bone marrow transplant. And we have funded exciting breakthroughs in chemotherapy hormone therapy, along with many other new life-saving cancer treatments.

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WHAT WE FUND

In our inaugural year as The Breakthrough Board, we raised over $1 million in support of life-saving cancer research discover at UChicago Medicine – adding to our $21 million total raised since our inception as the UCCRF Women’s Board over 70 years ago. 2025 Projected $1,000,000

$200,000 Cellular Therapy
$200,000 Microbiome Research
$200,000 The Breakthrough Board Team Science Award
$100,000 AI.ONCOCURE
$100,000 Ben May Department for Cancer Research
$100,000 Young Investigator Award
$50,000 Pediatric Brain Cancer Research Grant
TBD TBD Breast Cancer Research Grant This substantial donation is made possible because of the extraordinary generosity and support of our friends and donors. View our funding history here

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Donate

OUR GENEROUS DONORS DRIVE DISCOVERY

We gratefully acknowledge the support of our Breakthrough event sponsors including Ogilvy, PCA, Dancing with Chicago Celebrities, Northern Trust, Winston and Strawn LLP, King & Spalding, Katten, The Harry F. and Elaine Chaddick Foundation, GCM Grosvenor, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Mid-Continent Capital, and many others. And most importantly, a very special thanks to generous donors like you.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION NOW IN support of the next breakthrough in cancer research at uchicago medicine.

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01 Our Mission