Golfers Against Cancer Gives to Cancer Research at Beneficiary Luncheon 2004

Houston, TX, January 22, 2004 -- Golfers Against Cancer board members, sponsors and beneficiaries met for lunch on January 23, 2004 to distribute checks to cancer research projects. $1,610,000.00 was raised, including matching funds, during their 2003 golf tournament and gala in Houston and their research dinner in New York City.

Bobby Jones, GAC chairman, welcomed the group and read a recent newspaper article in USA Today where Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Director of the National Cancer Institute, stated he expected cancer to be cured by 2015. Jones jokingly suggested that some of the cancer research doctors present at the luncheon might have to look for employment elsewhere. One doctor commented that that he wanted to apply to be Jones' caddy.

Bobby introduced GAC sponsors who were present from Continental Airlines, Outback Steakhouse, Kingwood Medical Center, Highland Threads, The Houston BMW Group, the Clubs of Kingwood and Fox 26.

Each doctor received the check from Golfers Against Cancer and talked about the progress of their research and how the money from GAC would be used. The researchers all thanked GAC for getting the donations to them more quickly than other grants they have applied for. As seed money sometimes GAC's gift lead to even larger grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

Checks were given to six doctors from M.D. Anderson, two doctors from The Baylor College of Medicine at Methodist Hospital, The Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research, and The Foundation for the Cure of Prostate Cancer and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Sally Roberts, GAC beneficiary chairman, reminded everyone that the success of the organization is because everyone has been touched by cancer and our participants know that money given to GAC goes directly to cancer research projects. GAC also has no administrative expenses being an all-volunteer organization. Some of the research projects funded included Head and Neck, Hematopathology, Neuro-Oncology, Melanoma, Leukemia, Kidney, Breast and Prostate cancer.

Dr. Elizabeth Grimm, Research Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center at M. D. Anderson told about how the funds from GAC have helped cancer research. She said, "Awards from the Golfers Against Cancer fill a critical need in today's cancer research funding network. New ideas and promising therapeutic agents are being identified constantly, and need to be examined in a quick and efficient manner. The national grant agencies of the NCI and ACS (American Cancer Society) provide the bulk of funds for investigator-related cancer research, however the time from the preparation of an application to review at the national level, and the award of funding is at minimum of 12 months, and usually 18 to 24 months. In addition, such funding is at the mercy of the Federal budget process, which for the recent years has not been passed on for new funding to be awarded when originally indicated in the solicitations.

"Therefore, the ability of local patrons, most of whom feel the urgency for cancer research, to volunteer their time and money to test promising avenues in a faster manner, greatly helps all of us sort through the myriad of agents and ideas. And eventually go forward to the NCI and ACS with the most mature and promising agents. I am deeply indebted to the GAC for recent funds to our program in melanoma. These funds have been leveraged into several NIH grants for definitive analysis for therapeutic agents and prognostic markers."

Golfers Against Cancer had it's beginning in 1997 when Dave Roberts was diagnosed with his third cancer. Dave's golf buddies at the Deerwood Club wanted to do something to help and what they all knew how to do was play golf. They had their first golf tournament and gala that same year. They also wanted to support a young golf pro, Michael Longpre' who had brain cancer. Both Dave and Mike lost their battles against cancer but their golf buddies continue to raise money to save the lives of many of their friends and family members.

GAC kicked off their 2004 events at their first board meeting of the year at the Deerwood Club on January 24, 2004. The dates were set for the gala to be held on November 20, and the golf tournament of November 22. For more information about GAC visit their web site at www.golfersagainstcancer.org.