The Cooper Foundation recently received a $50,000 donation from Barbara T. Ferraro Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, which will support ovarian cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.
The contribution marks the second round of funding within a single year, bringing the total support from the foundation to $100,000.
The funds will help develop the next generation of innovative ovarian cancer treatments by supporting MD Anderson at Cooper’s critical research into the NRF2 and KEAP1 genes, which play a pivotal role in cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
“The Barbara T. Ferraro Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation’s continued support of the research program at MD Anderson at Cooper underscores our dedication to eliminating ovarian cancer and is fueled by a personal understanding of the tragedy and severity of this disease,” said Jay D. Ferraro, husband of the late Barbara T. Ferraro, after whom the foundation was named. Barbara Ferraro passed away in February of last year at the age of 61, after courageously facing ovarian cancer for six years.
Dr. David Warshal, who treated Ferraro, explained the significance of the donation to research.
“Our focus on the NRF2 and KEAP1 genes is crucial in understanding how cancer cells evade treatment,” he said. “The NRF2 and KEAP1 genes produce substances that shield cancer cells and make them resistant to treatment. By targeting these genes and identifying methods to permeate the cell barrier, we hope to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to kill the cancer cells.”
The Gynecologic Cancer Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper is the largest and most experienced gynecologic cancer treatment program in South Jersey. For more than three decades, the team of specialists has provided compassionate care to women with cancer and precancerous diseases of the ovaries, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, vulva and vagina.
Lisa Morina, senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer at the Cooper Foundation, expressed her gratitude.
“We are especially honored when individuals and families touched by cancer generously support our efforts at Cooper, particularly when our team played a part in their treatment journey,” she said. “Generosity from donors and the community allows the Cooper Foundation to fund groundbreaking research that leads to cures and provide new therapies years before they become standard in the community.”
