Sylvester Receives Record-Breaking $10.5 Million from Dolphins Challenge Cancer
This year’s donation is the largest in DCC history and funds groundbreaking research and patient care initiatives at South Florida’s only NCI-designated cancer center.
In celebration of its most successful fundraising effort yet, Dolphins Challenge Cancer (DCC) formally presented a record-breaking $10.5 million check for innovative cancer research to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of UHealth – University of Miami Health System.
The announcement was made during halftime of the Miami Dolphins’ Oct. 8 game as part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative to raise awareness about cancer.
The check was presented to Sylvester Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., who was joined on the field by Sylvester physicians, DCC board members, Sylvester Board of Governors members and cancer survivors helped by the groundbreaking research funded by the annual DCC events.
The Largest Dolphins Cancer Challenge Yet
DCC XIII, which took place in February, was the largest Dolphins Challenge Cancer event yet in terms of donations and participation, thanks in large part to the 5,641 participants whose fundraising efforts surpassed the previous year’s record. This brings DCC’s 13-year total contribution to $64.5 million.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this record-breaking moment in front of fans, our community and the Sylvester team as we make our biggest contribution to the fight against cancer,” DCC Executive Director Javier Sanchez said. “Sylvester is more than just a beneficiary. It is an innovative partner in our shared mission to challenge the status quo in creating more positive outcomes for the threat of cancer in South Florida for years to come.”
“We could not ask for a better teammate than the Miami Dolphins. Their dedication to supporting cancer research at Sylvester is unparalleled,” said Dr. Nimer, the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and executive dean of research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “Funds raised through DCC events are powering impactful cancer research leading to innovative discoveries and life-saving treatments, bringing us one step closer to a world without cancer.”
DCC Supports Sylvester Cancer Research and Care
DCC funds support Sylvester’s innovative research, recruit and retain some of the world’s best minds in cancer research and care, and invest in cutting-edge technologies to bring the latest detection, diagnosis and treatment discoveries to cancer patients.
Over the past 13 years, DCC has committed more than $64 million to Sylvester’s life-saving cancer research in areas such as:
- Precision medicine: Discovering, developing, and delivering the next generation of precision cancer medicine.
- Immunotherapies: Investing in a fast-growing field of cancer immunotherapies that boost the patient’s immune system to eradicate cancer cells.
- Clinical trials: Offering the most promising new therapies to patients.
- Radiation oncology research: Developing new ways to deliver radiation therapy more precisely, concentrating the dosage on cancer cells and leaving healthy tissue unaffected.
- Cancer diagnostics: Investing in new technologies and the best talent to better understand each patient’s cancer and its genetic drivers.
About Dolphins Cancer Challenge
Dolphins Challenge Cancer, the largest fundraising event in the National Football League, was founded in 2010 with 100% of participant-raised funds going directly to Sylvester to support cancer research. One of the premier cancer institutions in the nation, Sylvester is South Florida’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.
DCC XIV will take place on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Hard Rock Stadium. Registration is now open.
Tags: Dr. Stephen Nimer, philanthropy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center