Tower Cancer Research Foundation
History
For over three decades, Tower has funded bold, early-stage cancer research, while supporting patients battling the disease in real-time by providing access to classes, tools, and care.
Timeline
Since the beginning, Tower has believed that the future of cancer research depends on funding bold ideas before the rest of the world is ready to believe in them.
1996
- Tower Cancer Research Foundation established.
- Tower launches first clinical trial.
1997
Tower clinical trial: approval of Agrylin, for Myeloproliferative disease.
September 1998
Tower clinical trial: Herceptin receives FDA approval.
May 2002
Tower hosts first Tower of Hope Gala at the Beverly Hilton.
2004
Tower clinical trial — Tarceva approved for lung cancer, Iressa approved for lung cancer.
2005
- Tower forms relationship with T-Gen for Phase I clinical trials.
- Lincy Foundation Grant used to fund clinical trials.
2006
Tower establishes its Career Development Grant Program to fund basic science research.
2007
- Tower establishes Frank E. Rosenfelt Drug Development Program.
- Tower hosts first luncheon and boutique.
- Dick Lippin establishes Ronnie Lippin Cancer Support Program for cancer patients.
2008
Tower publishes at American Society of Oncology annual convention on Phase I trial with EPC2407.
2010
- The Magnolia Council founded.
- Feintech Family Foundation Grant fundsCareer Development Awards.
- Tower joins the T-Gen Roundtable(Translational Genomics Research), along with Mayo Clinic, City of Hope and others.
March 2011
Tower hosts Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Pancreatic Cancer Symposium.
2012
- Tower establishes Experimental Therapeutics Endowment Fund in the amount of $2 million with Cedars-Sinai for clinical trials.
- Joseph Drown Foundation Grant used to establish the Tower Fitness and Rehabilitation Program.
2013
Expansion of Tower Patient Support Programs.
June 2014
First Ante Up for a Cancer Free Generation Celebrity Poker Tournament.
November 2014
First Jack Mishkin Memorial Golf Classic.
2014
First $500,000 Senior Investigator Grant established in memory of Jessica M. Berman.
2015
- First $1 million Discovery Fund Grant established in memory of Jack Mishkin.
- Dick Lippin funds the Ronnie Lippin Patient Navigation Program at LA County/USC.
- Michele and Ted Kaplan Family funds Triple Negative Breast Cancer Research.
September 2015
First Jessica M.Berman WONDER WOMAN WALK.
2016
Tower Cancer Research Foundation 20th Anniversary.
2017
Magnolia House launches online registration for patient support classes.
2018
- Tower Launches Precision Medicine Campaign and awards its first research grant.
- Tower provides a community partnergrant to the Research Center for Health Equity at Cedars-Sinai Cancer to address cancer disparities in LGBTQ+ communities of Southern California.
- Power of Tower Walk launches.
2019
- Tower's Magnolia House launches Individual Therapy Program with Cynthia Hobbs-Hamburg, LMFT.
- USC Norris awards Tower and the Ronnie Lippin Patient Navigation and Support Program with the 2019 Trojan Community Partnership Award.
- Judith & Frank E. Rosenfelt Career Development Program is created.
2020
- CFG Debuts MOVE OVER Cancer Event.
- Tower Legacy Society inaugural event.
- Magnolia House classes transition online in response to the pandemic.
- Tower-funded researchers hit the$60 Million milestone in additional funding received.
- Pivoted Magnolia House programming tovirtual classes to continue supporting participants during the global pandemic.
- Continued funding of early-career cancer investigators through the Career Development Grant program despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
- Expansion of Magnolia House survivorship and support programming, increasing accessibility through hybridand virtual offerings.
- Continued annual Career Development Grant investments supporting promising physician-scientists and researchers at major Southern California institutions
2022
- Expanded partnerships with majorresearch institutions including UCLA, USC, Cedars-Sinai, City of Hope, CHLA,and UC San Diego.
2023
- Celebrating a decade of patient support through Magnolia House.
2024
- 10th Anniversary of Jack Mishkin Memorial Golf Classic.
- Expansion of programs with organizations such as Lipstick Angels toprovide beauty, wellness, and emotional support services for cancer patients.
Support the Journey
When you donate to Tower, you’re not supporting a single study. You’re part of an ecosystem that believes the next breakthrough is out there, waiting for someone to believe in it first. Every gift puts resources directly behind the discoveries that would otherwise never see the light of day.