HERA Women’s Foundation Supports New Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team Dedicated to Ovarian Cancer

DENVER - Sept. 9, 2014 - PRLog -- A groundbreaking collaboration is underway among many of the nation's ovarian cancer organizations. In partnership with Stand Up To Cancer, a new Ovarian Cancer Dream Team will kick off this year, dedicated to piloting leading-edge, ovarian cancer research that will help patients and save lives. The Dream Team effort is led by Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, with contributions from organizations throughout the United States.

HERA Women’s Foundation (http://www.herafoundation.org)has pledged to make a substantial financial investment to support the efforts of the Ovarian Cancer Dream Team, according to Samantha Lockwood, president of HERA’s board of directors. “Joining forces to fund the science of this new Dream Team will further HERA's mission to stop ovarian cancer,” said Lockwood.  “We’re proud to be part of an advocate community with the common goal to stop the suffering this disease has on everyone it touches and to save lives.”

This partnership was announced during September, which is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, on Stand Up To Cancer's bi-annual telecast on Friday, September 5. The Stand Up To Cancer-Ovarian Cancer Research Fund-Ovarian Cancer National Alliance-National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Translational Research Dream Team grant will provide funding, over a three-year period, for research associated with this insidious disease.

“We are thrilled to see so many ovarian cancer organizations coming together with a common goal,” said Calaneet Balas, CEO of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. “We are so grateful that organizations like HERA share our vision and our hope of discovering more effective treatments. I believe the Ovarian Cancer Dream Team will be paradigm-shifting for our community, and I cannot wait to see what comes from this new initiative.”

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all the gynecologic cancers. Almost 22,000 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, and more than 14,000 women will lose their lives to the disease. By collaborating to fund an Ovarian Cancer Dream Team, the participating organizations will further research in the field that can lead to new treatments that benefit patients.

The timeline for the creation of the Ovarian Cancer Dream Team will begin later this month, with the solicitation of ideas from researchers and scientists worldwide. The announcement of those selected to join the Dream Team will be next spring, with research beginning in July 2015.

About the HERA Foundation

Established in 2002, the HERA Women’s Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to stop the loss of women from ovarian cancer by promoting Health, Empowerment, Research, and Awareness. As a nationally recognized ovarian cancer organization, HERA provides funding for cutting-edge research grants to scientists at respected medical institutions such as Johns Hopkins, the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the University of Minnesota, and others. In so doing, HERA attracts more researchers to expand the scientific understanding of ovarian cancer while improving the lives of those battling the disease. In addition, HERA awards grants to local community groups to raise awareness about the disease in novel and unusual ways. More information is available at www.herafoundation.org.