La. Cancer Foundation Supports ULM Breast Cancer Research With $10K Donation

For 13 years, the Louisiana Cancer Foundation has financially supported breast cancer research at the University of Louisiana Monroe with donations totaling $117,500. Tuesday, Dr. Paul Sylvester, Associate Dean of Research in the ULM College of Pharmacy, accepted a $10,000 donation from LCF Executive Director James Adams.

"Including the present donation, the Louisiana Cancer Foundation has given a total of $117,500 to our program to support our cancer research activities over the past 13 years at the ULM College of Pharmacy," said Sylvester, who holds the Pfizer, Inc., B.J. Robison Endowed Professor of Pharmacology.

Adams, who is also executive director of the Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute, was joined by LCF Assistant Director Donna Nolan, Cancer Foundation League President and board member Carla Costello and board member Annie Staten.

"On behalf of the Louisiana Cancer Foundation and its board of directors, I’m pleased to present a $10,000 donation to the ULM Foundation in support of Dr. Sylvester’s continued cancer research," Adams said. "One of the mission goals of our organization is to support cancer research. Since we are a local organization, we wanted to support local research if possible. Approximately 13 years ago we discovered that a very well-known and published scientist, Dr. Sylvester, was conducting breast cancer research right here at ULM. Since that time we have tried to partner with Dr. Sylvester by donating to his impressive research involving tocotrienols and breast cancer."

Sylvester explained the focus of his research is nutrition-based, specifically a form of vitamin E.

"Our laboratory has been involved in breast cancer research for many years and our current interests include examining the relationship between nutrition and cancer, with particular emphasis on understanding the intracellular mechanisms mediating the anticancer effects of tocotrienols, a rare form of vitamin E," he said. "The ultimate goal of this research is the development of tocotrienol-based therapies that can be used in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer in women."

The Louisiana Cancer Foundation is a local 501c3 organization that was formed in 1999. The LCF has no administrative costs and all funds received through fundraising, donations and grants are used to benefit the communities and cancer patients of Northeast Louisiana. The LCF offers several free cancer screenings each year which benefit hundreds of people in local communities. The foundation also oversees a patient financial assistance program which has helped approximately 5,000 cancer patients in the amount of over $1.8 million since the program’s inception in 2002.