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- Posted Tuesday April 28, 2015
Seena Magowitz Foundation focuses fundraising on TGen's early detection of deadly pancreatic cancer
Gary Fazio is Honorary Chairman, Derrick Hall is Master of Ceremonies at May 14-15 'Golf Classic' in Orlando
PHOENIX, Ariz. - April 28, 2015 - The Seena
Magowitz Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for the
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
in the quest for a cure for pancreatic cancer, is focusing on early
diagnosis of this deadly disease, which often goes undetected until
its advanced stages.
As part of this quest, the Foundation's 13th annual Seena Magowitz
Golf Classic, May 14-15 at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate in
Orlando, Florida, promises to be "much more than a golf
tournament," said Gary Fazio, CEO of Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, who
is serving a second year as the event's Honorary Chairman.
The Foundation was created by Founder Roger E. Magowitz as a way
to honor his mother, Seena Magowitz, who passed away in 2001 of
pancreatic cancer, a highly aggressive disease that this year will
take the lives of more than 40,000 Americans.
"What began as a charity golf gathering in 2003, has become a
major annual event, drawing hundreds of attendees from across the
nation, and making major contributions to the advancement of
pancreatic cancer research," said Fazio, who has more than 40 years
of experience in the bedding industry, which is a primary supporter
of pancreatic cancer research. "With viable drug options in place,
I am pleased that the Foundation is supporting early
diagnostics."
Serving this year as the tournament's Master of Ceremonies is
Derrick Hall, President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I have lost a parent to pancreatic cancer and share in Roger
Magowitz's determination to find a better treatment and a method of
early diagnosis for this terrible disease," Hall said. "The
breakthroughs that TGen has achieved shine bright. Now, those of us
who have been touched by pancreatic cancer have every reason to be
optimistic."
The Seena Magowitz Golf Classic - whose theme this year is
"Connected by Life. Driven to Help" - raises needed funds for
pancreatic cancer research at TGen, a Phoenix-based, non-profit
biomedical research center. Prior to last year, the Foundation's
premier event was held in Phoenix.
"We need a mammogram for the pancreas. Just like breast cancer, if
pancreatic cancer is detected early, we will be able to find a
cure," said Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, TGen Distinguished Professor,
Physician-In-Chief and one of the world's leading authorities on
pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death
in the U.S.
This year, nearly 49,000 Americans will be diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer. Median survival for patients with advanced
disease is less than 6 months following diagnosis, and the 5-year
survival rate is less than 6 percent for all
patients.Pancreatic cancer's lethal nature stems from its
propensity to rapidly spread to distant organs. Because there is no
early screening test, it usually is not diagnosed until its late
stages, often when surgery is no longer an option, making it
difficult to treat.
TGen has made major progress about treating pancreatic cancer
through the work of its Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) Pancreatic Cancer
Dream Team. Importantly, as a result of TGen clinical research, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013 approved the use of
albumin-bound paclitaxel in combination with gemcitabine as a
front-line therapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
The Seena Magowitz Foundation helped fund the Abraxane clinical
trials.
"With thealbumin-bound paclitaxel plus gemcitabine regimen,
some patients are surviving past 3 years," said Dr. Von Hoff, who
directs clinical trials at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center
Clinical Trials at HonorHealth in Scottsdale, Ariz., where TGen
research discoveries are translated into new treatments for
patients.
A dinner and concert are planned the evening of May 14, featuring
a presentation by Dr. Von Hoff.
This year's Golf Classic also includes a $1 million hole-in-one
contest, an Everglades boat ride, and a David Leadbetter Golf
Academy VIP Class.
"Today, we are excited to bring the Seena Magowitz Golf Classic to
Orlando and invite the community to join us as we bring people,
organizations, advocates and medical researchers together in
synergistic concert to fight pancreatic cancer," said Roger
Magowitz. "We are focused on early detection, increasing survival
rate, creating awareness, and an eventual cure."
For more information about the Seena Magowitz Foundation and this
year's Golf Classic, visit www.seenamagowitzfoundation.org.
Prospective sponsors, tournament participants and dinner/concert
attendees may contact: Roger Magowitz at 602-524-7636 or [email protected];
or Liz McBeth, Tournament Director, at 757-773-3622 or [email protected].
Major sponsors of this year's event are Serta, Simmons, Mattress
Firm Holdings, Leggett & Platt, Sleep Inc, and Tempur
Sealy.
# # #
About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with cancer, neurological disorders and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
