The Lustgarten Foundation is a 501(c)(3)

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization foundation dedicated to advancing the research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer while raising public awareness and providing support to patients and their families. The Foundation is the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research in the world. Based in

Woodbury, Nassau County, New York Woodbury is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 8,907 at the 2010 census. Woodbury borders Laurel Hollow to the no ...

, the Foundation's mission is to cure pancreatic cancer by

funding Funding is the act of providing resources to finance a need, program, or project. While this is usually in the form of money, it can also take the form of effort or time from an organization or company. Generally, this word is used when a firm use ...

scientific and clinical research related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pancreatic cancer; providing research information and clinical support services to patients, caregivers and individuals at high risk; and increasing public awareness and hope for those dealing with this disease. Increasing funding and support of

research Research is " creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...

into the biological mechanisms and clinical strategies related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic cancer; Facilitating and enhancing the dialogue among members of the medical and scientific communities about basic and

clinical research Clinical research is a branch of healthcare science that determines the safety and effectiveness ( efficacy) of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use. These may be used for prevention, treatm ...

efforts that relate to pancreatic cancer; Heightening public awareness of pancreatic cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention and providing informational support for pancreatic cancer patients, their families, and friends. A primary method for advocacy and gathering donations involves runs/walks and other events at a regional level. The Lustgarten Foundation has raised more than $16.1 million for pancreatic cancer research as of 2012. The Foundation fostered the collaborative effort known as the Pancreatic Cancer Research Consortium, in 2010, which comprises six leading medical institutions across the United States. Its members are the

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a private, non-profit institution with research programs focusing on cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, and quantitative biology. It is one of 68 institutions supported by the Cancer Centers ...

Dana–Farber Cancer Institute Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is a comprehensive cancer treatment and research institution in Boston, Massachusetts. Dana–Farber is the founding member of Dana–Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Harvard's Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by ...

in affiliation with

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) is the medical school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1893, the School of Medicine shares a campus with the Johns Hopkins Hospi ...

, The

David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT ( ; also referred to as the Koch Institute, KI, or CCR/KI) is a cancer research center affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) located in Cambridge, Massachusetts ...

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. MSKCC is one of 52 National Cancer Institute� ...

, and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Name

The Lustgarten Foundation is named after Marc Lustgarten, a former Cablevision executive, who died at the age of 52 from pancreatic cancer.

History

At the time the Lustgarten Foundation was established, pancreatic cancer was an

orphan disease A rare disease is any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. In some parts of the world, an orphan disease is a rare disease whose rarity means there is a lack of a market large enough to gain support and resources for discove ...

, with less than one half of one percent of the total National Cancer Institute's budget supporting fewer than 15 researchers nationally. Because funding was so limited, it was difficult to find researchers to study the disease. However, recognizing that research follows dollars, in 2000, the Foundation awarded ten $100,000 grants totaling $1 million to stimulate pancreatic cancer research for leading physician scientists, many of whom continue to dedicate their careers to pancreatic cancer today.

Financials

Thanks to a commitment from

Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation was an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It was the fifth-largest cable provider and ninth-largest television provider in the United States. Throughout its ex ...

underwrite Underwriting (UW) services are provided by some large financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and investment houses, whereby they guarantee payment in case of damage or financial loss and accept the financial risk for liabilit ...

all of The Lustgarten Foundation's administrative expenses, 100% of every donation received goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. The Lustgarten Foundation is a 4-Star charity on Charity Navigator, ranking at the highest level for its organizational and financial transparency, low administrative costs, board, and growth.

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://lustgarten.org Health charities in the United States Organizations established in 1999 Charities based in New York (state) Medical and health organizations based in New York (state) 1999 establishments in New York (state)