Courtney’s Courage (formerly known as Tee Up For Tots) donated $40,000 to the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center for its pediatric cancer research program.
Courtney’s Courage raised the funds through its “17th Annual Tee Up For Tots Golf Tournament” that took place at the Omni Tucson National Resort in August.
Funds will support research examining novel immunotherapy strategies to treat pediatric cancer. “This is an approach that will continuously release tumor antigens and immunostimulatory cytokines for a few weeks, thus stimulating effective tumor-specific immunity,” said pediatric oncologist Emmanuel Katsanis, MD, professor, division chief of pediatric hematology/oncology, Department of Pediatrics and the UA Steele Center, and the Louise Thomas Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research. “We are hoping this research will lead to novel immunotherapies.”
Dr. Katsanis and his team are working in collaboration with Klearchos Papas, PhD, professor, UA Department of Surgery. "I believe this research will lead to a breakthrough approach in stimulating potent and tumor specific immunity against cancer with a special emphasis on pediatric tumors," said Dr. Katsanis. “We are so grateful to Courtney’s Courage for its continued support to help us find more effective treatments for pediatric cancer.”
Media Contact: Darci Slaten, MA