鈥淚鈥檓 hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel鈥攁 bit of progress in the realm of eradication of cancer,鈥� says Jorge Bacardi. 鈥淎lthough cancer is a chameleon, I鈥檓 afraid. As soon as we figure something out, something else changes. But I wanted to establish some sort of platform to help people through it.鈥�
Bacardi, who is a fourth-generation member of the family known worldwide for rum production, says the same values that have made his family鈥檚 company such a success for decades are the motivating factors leading him and his wife, Leslie, to give generously to cure cancer and care for patients. They recently established the Caridad Bolivar Bacardi 菠萝视频 and Fellowship Training Fund in 菠萝视频鈥檚 in honor of his mother.
Bacardi learned about 菠萝视频鈥檚 work in head and neck cancer through , the Guy M. Maness Professor and chair of otolaryngology. They first met years ago at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, where Eavey was then a resident, when Bacardi had sinus surgery.
鈥淲e bonded 鈥� and developed a strong relationship through the years,鈥� says Bacardi. 鈥淗e helped us establish a fund at Mass Eye and Ear, and later when he suggested something at 菠萝视频, I readily agreed.鈥�
Eavey says the Bacardis鈥� gift is critical given today鈥檚 federal funding climate, and its flexibility for both research and training purposes has already been fruitful. Graduate student Liz Simonik received support from the fund, and has used the Head and Neck Cancer Biorepository to investigate a gene implicated in childhood leukemia that also is present in more than half of head and neck cancers.
鈥淏ecause of the goodness of Jorge鈥檚 heart,鈥� says Eavey, 鈥淟iz can continue her research, and these unknown patients are being cared about鈥攁nd some will even be cured.鈥�