Case Western Reserve University hosts The Baton Pass with Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic

Siemens will donate up to $1 million to Stand Up To Cancer to support accelerated cancer research

Baton pass
Left to Right: Pamela B. Davis, Dean, School of Medicine, Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs, Case Western Reserve University; Gregory Sorensen, CEO of Siemens Healthcare USA; Stanton Gerson, Director—Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Director—NCRM, Director—University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center; Brian J. Bolwell, Chairman, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute; Jeremy Rich, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute pass the Baton at the Cancer Stem Cell Conference at the Cleveland Convention Center during the Siemens and Stand Up To Cancer Baton Pass Visit, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2014 in Cleveland. Every time the Baton is passed physically or virtually on Facebook.com/thebatonpass Siemens will donate one dollar, up to $1 million, to SU2C through September 5, 2014, to fund innovative cancer research. (Jason Miller/AP Images for Siemens)

Earlier this week, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic joined a national movement called “The Baton Pass” to help raise funds for innovative cancer research and spread a message of hope.

To kick off Baton Pass Week in Cleveland, as proclaimed by Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, the Baton was passed by staff, physicians, researchers, patients and superhero Spiderman at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. Then it traveled to the Angie Fowler Adolescent  & Young Adult Cancer Institute at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, and on to the Cleveland Clinic.

The last stop of the day was at Case Western Reserve’s National Center for Regenerative Medicine Cancer Stem Cell Conference at the Cleveland Convention Center, where international leaders at the forefront of developing cancer stem cell therapies to treat human disease gathered to share research and exchange ideas.

The Baton Pass was launched on Good Morning America on March 19 by Siemens, one of the world’s leading engineers of imaging, laboratory diagnostics and healthcare IT solutions, to raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). SU2C is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a nonprofit charitable organization, and supports pioneering cancer research to get new therapies to patients quickly.

With each pass of the Baton, either physically or virtually through www.facebook.com/TheBatonPass, Siemens donates $1 to Stand Up To Cancer—up to $1 million—through Sept. 5. The Baton Pass is a grassroots effort to raise money and spread a message of hope and unity nationally. The Baton has traveled thousands of miles across the United States and Canada, and has been passed more than 900,000 times.

“Case Western Reserve University is grateful to be a part of this event,” said Pamela B. Davis, dean of the School of Medicine and senior vice president for medical affairs. “Our partnerships with our local affiliates provide a strong foundation for leading research and clinical care, and we will continue to work together to bring critical discoveries to life and improve patient outcomes.”

“The Baton symbolizes the progress we’ve made in cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment, as well as the hope that we all share for continued progress,” said Gregory Sorensen, CEO, Siemens Healthcare USA. “Siemens is proud to align with SU2C and celebrate the work being done by leading researchers here in Cleveland and those represented by the Stem Cell Conference attendees.”

“The phenomenal progress in the field of cancer research that is being advanced by collaborative scientists at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the National Center for Regenerative Medicine, is greatly assisted by the focus and support Siemens and Stand Up To Cancer bring to the goal we all are working toward, making progress toward a cure for cancer,” said Stanton L. Gerson, director at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Seidman Cancer Center, and National Center for Regenerative Medicine. “The Baton Pass taking place in Cleveland this week is particularly timely, as we host our inaugural Cancer Stem Cell Conference, which is bringing together the top research scientists in the world to explore new therapies in regenerative medicine.”