Research Center News: Philanthropy

Cure JM Foundation Wins Big with Pepsi
Cure JM Foundation, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, received the most votes nationwide to find a cure for a rare, life-threatening childhood disease. Pepsi is awarding grants to organizations with refreshing ideas to change the world. Cure JM Foundation competed in the Pepsi Refresh national contest in August and won first place out of 1,200 organizations for the $250,000 grant category. All of the grant will be put towards research into a cure for a rare and potentially fatal disease affecting children called Juvenile Myositis (JM). JM primarily attacks the muscles and skin, but can also involve virtually any system of the body. Cure JM is grateful to the JM families and friends whose ongoing support has enabled it to help establish the first two JM research centers and fund the first-ever book about the disease. Cure JM has supported the laboratory of Lauren Pachman, MD since 2007, and this grant will ensure its continued commitment and support to the Cure JM Program of Excellence in Juvenile Myositis Research at the research center.

MRJBF Supports Biostatistics Research Core
In February 2010, the research center’s Biostatistics Research Core (BRC) was granted a two year funding award by the Medical Research Junior Board Foundation (MRJBF), a component of the Medical Research Institute Council. The support of the MRJBF will enable Deli Wang, PhD, director of the BRC, to build infrastructure by facilitating the competitive recruitment of talented biostatisticians. The continued expansion of the BRC will increase its capacity to assist more research initiatives at Children’s Memorial. In addition, it will enable the BRC to support those investigators in need of assistance who could not otherwise afford the opportunity.

The Lurie Matching Challenge Grant for Medical Research Facilities: Ushering in a new era of pediatric research in Chicago
The location of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Streeterville opens the door for greater research and clinical collaboration with future campus neighbors, including Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, its Prentice Women’s Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

To ensure the necessary space and facilities to foster collaborative pediatric research in Streeterville, Ann Lurie has issued a special challenge to the Chicago community. Her $100 million gift to Children’s Memorial includes a $20 million matching challenge grant designed to generate philanthropic support specifically for the hospital’s research enterprise. Read more.

Gift from the Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
The David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Arts Foundation has made a generous gift of important photographs from its collection to Children's Memorial Research Center. On behalf of the research center, Philip Iannaccone, MD, PhD, Deputy Director for Research-Basic Sciences, accepted the gift from Michal Raz-Russo, co-curator and administrator for the Ruttenberg Collection. The research center will be working with experts from Columbia College of Chicago to site the photographs.

Unique public-private partnership announced
February 16, 2007 -- Children's Memorial Research Center announced a public-private partnership that will result in therapy and prevention for Chicago-area adolescents with HIV and youth who are at risk for contracting the disease.

Ann Lurie, a Chicago native, contributed over $1 million to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) to fund the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN) for HIV/AIDS Interventions. The NIH's contribution brought the total funded amount to $1.9 million. In partnership with the Howard Brown Health Center, the Midwest’s premier lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health care organization, Children's Memorial Hospital will enroll HIV-positive youth in clinical trials of drugs, and at-risk youth in HIV prevention trials.
Ms. Lurie spoke of her passion for Children's Memorial Hospital's role in advocacy and the importance of funding an HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention program. Speaking at the press conference, Illinois State Senator John Cullerton characterized her as a "very generous and extraordinary person." Ms. Lurie was presented with a plaque by the research center in honor of her outstanding contribution.

Return to News Page