Delaware Couple Pledges to Match $375,000 in Donations

(WILMINGTON, Del. – April 20, 2022)

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and the cause of 33% of Delaware’s cancer deaths. To improve health and provide a groundbreaking new tool in the fight against lung cancer in our community, the Friends of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute will host the inaugural 5K Walk/Run for the Lung on Saturday, April 30, at 9 a.m. at ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute.

Funds raised at this event will support the purchase of Auris Health’s Monarch™ Platform, a leading-edge robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform that enables earlier and more-accurate diagnosis of small and hard-to-reach nodules in the periphery of the lung. The first of its kind in Delaware, the robotic system integrates the latest advancements in robotics, software, data science and endoscope innovation. It enables physicians to navigate a flexible robotic endoscope to the periphery of the lung with improved reach, vision and control.

“Early-stage lung cancer patients often have no symptoms, which results in the cancer not being found until later stages,” said Charles Mulligan, M.D., ChristianaCare’s chief of thoracic surgery. “This technology has the potential to change the way we are diagnosing lung cancer and dramatically improve patient outcomes.”

To support the advancement of lung cancer technology at ChristianaCare, Dan and Susan Katzin of Greenville have pledged to match up to $375,000 for the Monarch Platform.

“We are delighted to support this innovative technology at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute because we know it offers a more hopeful future for patients with lung cancer,” said Susan Katzin. “We encourage anyone who can participate in the 5K Run/Walk for the Lung to join us in improving the quality of life for patients in our community.”

“We are able to do what we do, in part, because of the generosity of our community,” said Dia Williams Adams, ChristianaCare’s vice president of philanthropy. “We invest in leading-edge technology and research to continue building on the exceptional care and service our community deserves.”

To register for the event or make an online donation, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2022/49661/inaugural-friends-of-the-helen-f-graham-cancer-center-and-research-institute-5k.

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About the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, a National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program, is part of the ChristianaCare, one of the country’s most dynamic health systems, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. With more than 245,000 patient visits last year, the Graham Cancer Center is recognized as a national model for multidisciplinary cancer care and a top enroller in U.S. clinical research trials. In conjunction with the Gene Editing Institute, the Center for Translational Cancer Research, the Tissue Procurement Center, statewide High-Risk Family Cancer Registry and collaborations with world-renowned scientists at facilities such as The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia scientists are opening new avenues to more quickly translate cancer science into cancer medicine. For more information, visit christianacare.org/cancer.

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