The V Foundation Announces Triangle Cancer Research Symposium
Event Gives Attendees Access to Latest Cancer Research Findings and Professionals

(Cary, N.C.) – The V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading cancer research fundraising organizations, is proud to announce it will host a cancer research symposium featuring a panel of distinguished local doctors currently working on V Foundation Research Grants as well as doctors from their Scientific Advisory Board. The event will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center on August 15th at 10:30 AM, and will include a Q&A session, in addition to a “hands-on” exhibit by area hospitals whose doctors are represented at the symposium. The Symposium is free and open to the public and will provide attendees with an opportunity to speak directly with doctors on the cutting edge of cancer research.

“We have some of the absolute best scientists, doctors and PhDs in the cancer research field to help our fight against cancer,” said Nick Valvano, CEO of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. “This inaugural symposium gives the general public, as well as people personally affected by cancer, the opportunity to directly ask them how we have progressed in cancer research and understand how their donations directly influence cancer research.”

Doctors and researchers from Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, North Carolina State University, Rex Hospital, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, all of whom have received funding from The V Foundation, will speak about developments in cancer research that have been made in our very own community. Duke’s panel members will include Dr. Victoria Seewaldt from the Women’s Wellness Clinic, who will focus on breast cancer prevention, and Dr. Joseph Nevins, who will discuss breast cancer therapy. Representing NC State University will be Dr. John Cavanaugh, Director of the Jimmy V-NC State Cancer Therapeutics Training Program. UNC panel members will include Dr. Jason Lieb focusing on biological cancer research, and Dr. James Bear who will discuss cell and developmental biology cancer research.  Rex’s panel member will be Dr. Leroy Darkes focusing on prostate cancer therapies.  

“So many advances are being made each year in understanding and managing cancer more effectively,” said Dr. Robert Bast, Jr., Vice-President for Translational Research and doctor with the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. “The forum will provide an update of recent progress and provide an opportunity to answer questions from those who attend.”

The cancer research symposium is a part of The V Foundation’s events surrounding the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic. Survivors in attendance at the symposium are encouraged to pick up a survivor button from The V Foundation information table. The first 200 attendees will receive complimentary gallery tickets to Sunday’s Celebrity Golf Classic at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NCSU.  To learn more about The Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic and its weekend events, please visit www.golfclassic.org. For more information on The V Foundation, please log onto www.jimmyv.org or call 1-800-4JimmyV.

Click here to view the ABC 11 coverage of The V Foundation's Scientific Symposium.