Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation

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Often referred to as the "father of medicine" for his lasting contributions to the field, Hippocrates was revered as the ideal physician and admired as a teacher. The Hippocratic Oath is considered a rite of passage for doctors to this day, setting the highest ethical standards for compassionate care, respect for patient privacy and sharing scientific knowledge for the benefit of future generations. Hippocrates' approach to scientific discovery and empathetic care has inspired the establishment of the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation (HCRF).

Our Mission

Nearly half of all men and one-third of women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetime. The mission of the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation is to discover, develop and implement effective new treatments for patients with cancer by advancing groundbreaking research. Our goal — to eliminate cancer and save lives — is ambitious but achievable.

The Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation's diverse network of donors will provide the philanthropic support to fund interdisciplinary research teams at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, empowering their world-class investigators to join forces and address the most urgent questions in the fields of cancer biology and oncology in daring and innovative ways. By investing in "out of the box" research, with an emphasis on translational cancer research, the HCRF will accelerate and heighten the impact of scientific discoveries.

Watch a video to learn more about the HCRF mission.

View a presentation by Leonidas Platanias, MD, PhD on Recent Advances in Cancer Research and Therapeutic Approaches.

A Letter from Eleni Bousis, Chair of the Founding Board of the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation

“With a sad heart, I am writing this after hearing the world news from Europe. Listening to the nurses from Italy saying, ‘We have given up, we are exhausted, we have seen more deaths than imaginable, we need God’s help. He is the only one who can save us!’ So grateful to many countries who are sending medical supplies, Doctors and nurses to help. I could not bear hearing this devastating news, I just broke down crying, rushing to bless my home and reading the Bible for our Lord’s mercy!

As the chairman of the Greek American Nursing Home, I feel the urge to send a compassionate message to the families, residents and staff. I cannot imagine the agony, frustration and pain that family members are faced with. not being able to visit and seeing their loved ones.

Not too long ago, my late father, Angelo resided at the home for a short time. I was visiting with him throughout the day, talking, drinking coffee and hearing my dad’s challenging and painful life’s stories and experiences. My dad went home to the Lord before this crisis, he knew I could not handle not seeing him. I am appealing to every family member to remain faithful to our staff who are doing an exceptional job caring for your loved ones. Keep praying for the safety of all our residents.

As the founding chair of the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation, my heart goes out to the entire medical staff and scientists who are working diligently in making a difference to the lives of those affected by this devastating virus. Working closely with many of our physicians and scientists, I have witnessed firsthand their compassionate hearts and commitment. They are the ones in the front line who are sacrificing their health and life.

I have seen and heard their cracking voices as they speak of the many lives they have seen depart because of this invisible monster. Let’s all keep them in our daily prayers. I sincerely thank all of those who struggle with self-sacrifice, even neglecting themselves and their families, including:

• Medical and nursing professionals at the front lines, beside our brothers and sisters who are suffering
• Researchers and scientists searching for proper medication and vaccination to deliver us from this virus
• All those actively working hard to address this pandemic

Please let’s help them as they are helping us by putting their lives ahead of ours. Populations are being told to practice social distancing — to keep two meters away from other people to avoid transmitting the virus by coughing or sneezing and learning to stay inside.We need to shut down the entire country if we are going to flatten the curve, give health care a breather to cope with this chaos, and give scientists time to invent a vaccine to help all those affected.”

The Wings to Cure Annual Gala

The Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation's fourth annual gala, The Wings to Cure, took place on Saturday, November 16, 2019. This black-tie event raised vital funds to accelerate high-impact translational research at the Lurie Cancer Center.

2019 Gala Photo Gallery 2019 Gala Video 2018 Gala Photo Gallery