LOUISVILLE Hope Scarves, which provides scarves and stories of hope to women facing cancer, donated $50,000 to the James Graham Brown Cancer Center in support of translational metastatic breast cancer research. The check was presented on Thursday, December 10, at the Kosair Charities Clinical & Translational Research Building, 505 S. Hancock St., and tours of the research lab were offered.
This marks Hope Scarves’ first major donation to translational metastatic breast cancer research. The donation is in support of research conducted by Dr. Yoannis Imbert-Fernandez at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center. The gift will directly support Imbert-Fernandez’ research to determine the effects of simultaneous suppression of estrogen signaling and a key metabolic enzyme known as PFKFB3 on sugar metabolism, growth, and survival of metastatic breast cancer. This research could lead to improved treatment options for people with metastatic breast cancer within the next year.
In September 2015, MD-UPDATE partnered with Hope Scarves as a sponsor of their signature event, Colors of Courage. The event hosted 500 people and raised over $125,000, $15,000 of which was earmarked for metastatic breast cancer research.
ABOUT HOPE SCARVES:
Louisvillian Lara MacGregor, founder of Hope Scarves, was 30 years old and seven months pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. She was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer in 2014. In 2007, a mutual friend mailed MacGregor a box of scarves with a note saying, “You can do this!”
It was a heartfelt gift that led to the creation of Hope Scarves, a Louisville-based nonprofit serving women facing cancer. Hope Scarves captures the stories of courageous women who have faced cancer, along with the headscarves they wore during treatment. The scarves are then dry-cleaned through a partnership with Highland Cleaners. The scarves, survivor stories, and scarf tying instructions are then passed along to another woman facing cancer, spreading a message of hope.
To date, Hope Scarves has distributed more than 2,300 scarves and survivor stories to all 50 states, nine countries, and to women ranging in age from five to 93, battling many types of cancer. To learn more about Hope Scarves, visit www.hopescarves.org.