WCA Grants & Awards

Woman’s Cancer Association Celebrates the Researchers and Award Grants for 2023-2024

What began as a small community effort seven decades ago has resulted in a new series of grants to accelerate innovative research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. The donations were made possible by The Woman’s Cancer Association (WCA) of the University of Miami, a volunteer organization that has been providing funds for cancer research, education, and patient welfare since 1959.

2024 Grant Luncheon: Dr. Schlumbrecht, Dr. Cantwell, Dr. Bianco, and Dr. Kumar

The 2023-2024 recipients and their work include:

General Grants

• Dr. Suzy Bianco – Breast Cancer $50,000.00
• Dr. Shria Kumar – Digestive Health & Liver Cancer $50,000.00
• Dr. Brooke Crawford – Orthopedic Cancer $50,000.00

Palliative Care Grant

• Dr. Patrica Cantwell – Holtz Children’s Hospital $10,000.00

Powell Endowment Fund Grant

• Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht – Gynecology & Reproductive Cancer
  $32,347.00

Pediatric Grant

• Dr. Martin A. Rivas – Leukemia $50,000.00

Total of $242,347.00 in grants for the 2023 – 2024 Year.

Adam Carlin, Bill Tenney, Lourdes Beltran, and Dr. Stephen Nimer. In 2018, Sylvester Director Stephen Nimer, M.D., dedicated the Woman’s Cancer Association Lounge at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center in Coral Gables.

The Woman’s Cancer Association started in the late 1950s when 28 Dade County women met to discuss ways to help fight the battle against cancer. By 1959, the group had adopted its organizational charter as the Woman’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami.

Currently, two chapters comprise the Woman’s Cancer Association – the Barton Ravlin Chapter and Heidi Hewes Chapter – which raise funds from individual and family grants, community partners, corporate sponsors, and fundraisers. The WCA also relies on proceeds from their resale thrift store, the Bargain Box, which is their biggest fundraiser.

In 2018, Sylvester Director Stephen Nimer, M.D., dedicated the Woman’s Cancer Association Lounge at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center in Coral Gables. The dedication was in recognition of the WCA’s incredible 4-year, $1 million donation to support the drive for NCI-designation at Sylvester and its long history of collaboration with the Cancer Center.

Since its inception, the group has raised $14.2 million to treat all types of cancer at Sylvester.

“The Woman’s Cancer Association’s support is vital in our work to save lives,” said Dr. Nimer, who is also the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, executive dean for research, professor of medicine, biochemistry, and molecular biology at the Miller School of Medicine, and professor of chemical, environmental, and materials engineering at the University of Miami. “The funds they raise help advance innovative research required to find cures and improve treatment options for patients. We could not be more appreciative of their philanthropy.”

In addition to research, the WCA’s funding initiatives also help other vital areas.

“It is equally important to support patients going through cancer treatment,” said Tenney, a WCA member since 1996. “Sylvester social workers reach out to the WCA for immediate financial help for patients when there are no other options. And during the Covid- 19 pandemic, we raised additional funds through online bingo games to help.”

The group has also established the bereavement room for families of pediatric cancer patients and supplied materials for the library at the Batchelor Children’s Research Institute.

The Bargain Box Thrift Store is located at 1350 West Flagler Street in Miami.

Individual and corporate members are welcome to join the WCA. For more information on the WCA, contact Nora Tenney at norabob.tenney@gmail.com.