Fifth Third helps fund SU2C's collaborative cancer research efforts

Although Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a national organization, its focus is aimed at collaboration—an effort that Cincinnati-headquartered Fifth Third Bank wants to get behind.
 
In 2008, nine women, all of whom were profoundly touched by cancer, came together to form SU2C. Two of the founders were in Stage IV of the illness, and they wanted to know why they were receiving the same treatments used 40 years ago.
 
“So we got some of the best researchers and oncologists in a room and asked them the question, ‘Why haven’t we made more progress? What are the obstacles?’” says Sue Schwartz, SU2C co-founder. “And we learned some interesting things. The scientists weren’t collaborating. They’re working in silos—different scientists on different floors and in different rooms, doing the same thing and not sharing data.”
 
So SU2C came up with a model to bring researchers, scientist and oncologists together to form “dream teams” so that collaboration would become the focus of cancer research.
 
“We’re looking to bring everyone in cancer research together to fund this disease,” Schwartz says. “We have over 500 scientists working in 101 institutions that span the country, so we have institutions involved with us virtually everywhere; and by doing that, it allows us to do our clinical trials in multiple sites across the country, which helps people all over."
 
SU2C solely funds research, so through initiatives like Fifth Third’s Take a Swipe at Cancer, in which a donation is made to the organization each time a client uses their Fifth Third MasterCard,—which in this case is $400,000—the nonprofit is able to sustain its efforts of delivering therapy to patients in clinical research trials.
 
“One in two men, and one in three women in this country will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime,” Schwartz says. “And there’s no boundaries—anybody can be struck.”

Do Good:

• Use your Fifth Third MasterCard through December 31, and your purchase will help support Stand Up To Cancer's efforts with a donation of $400,000. 

• Support Stand Up To Cancer through this holiday season by throwing an ugly sweater party or participating in its sweater-a-thon contest.

• Join the collaborative effort by getting involved with Stand Up To Cancer's grassroots efforts in Greater Cincinnati, and download the SU2C app. 

By Brittany York
Brittany York is a professor of English composition at both the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.