April 15, 2025

Staff and Friends Support Early Stage Investigators in Scottsdale

Last Saturday a team of physicians, patients, and friends of The Hope Foundation rode in the Tour de Scottsdale while raising funds for cancer research. SWOG member and Early Stage Investigator Training Course (ESITC) alumnus Dr. Parminder Singh organized the group.

Team Hope included Olympic gold and silver medalist George DiCarlo, Foundation president Jo Horn, and a dozen other riders. Some traveled from as far away as Michigan, Colorado, and Oregon to take part in the event.    

(L-R): Jo Horn, Casey Dawson, Hicham El Masry, Parminder Singh, George DiCarlo

While cyclists tackled the heat and hills of Scottsdale, Foundation staff shared information about Hope’s mission supporting SWOG research at the expo.  

“It was incredibly energizing to be a part of the team of riders at Tour de Scottsdale. Whether it was supporting each other mile after mile in 100-degree heat, or financially supporting our goals, it was a truly a collaborative effort. Events like these not only add an element of shared success to our work; they connect us with the mission, with the necessary funding, and most importantly, with our larger cancer communities,” said Horn.

Team Hope riders (L-R) Tom McCarthy, Issam Atassi, Raman Dhaliwal, Parminder Singh, Hicham El Masry

at The Hope Foundation's expo table

Through this initiative, Team Hope surpassed its goal and raised $26,942 for the ESITC. Now in its 25th year, the course remains critical to SWOG’s infrastructure of mentorship and momentum to carry forth the large-scale clinical trials that inform and advance the standards of care nationwide.

Thank you to this year’s donors, riders, and expo table visitors – you made a difference for our early career researchers and patients!

Team Hope riders and friends at the post-event dinner

Missed out on the fun this year? Join us next April for the 2026 Tour de Scottsdale! 100% of the proceeds directly fund our work.

Interested in supporting Hope through an event in your area? We would love to partner with you to educate more people about our mission. Please contact Mallory Glenn at (734) 546-8434 or mallory@thehopefoundation.org to learn more.

Simplify Your Giving and Receive Immediate Tax Benefits 

As you may know, a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable savings account. When you contribute to your DAF, you’re typically eligible for an immediate tax deduction. Then, you can recommend grants to your favorite nonprofits at any time. 

When you give to The Hope Foundation through your DAF, you also enable other donors at your sponsor, such as Fidelity Charitable, to find and give to Hope. Often, nonprofits cannot register with entities that hold DAF accounts. Rather, donors must recommend a grant before the charity is added to the sponsor’s database and visible to others. 

Seth and Karen Lerner are Hope supporters who typically donate from their DAF they established in 2011 to make charitable gifts from a single source.  

“The corpus is invested and grows over time, so Karen and I can make a single gift (using stock transfers) to the DAF to support our charitable giving over multiple years while receiving the tax break in the year of the gift,” said Dr. Lerner. 

Dr. Lerner is an oncologist at Baylor College of Medicine and chair of the SWOG genitourinary committee. 

“As a SWOG investigator, I believe it’s important to support Hope’s mission. Consider the support that The Hope Foundation provides to SWOG, and the GU Committee, for the group meetings, Vogelzang Fund, and the clinical trial support. Supporting Hope is a no-brainer,” said Dr. Lerner. 

To make a gift to Hope through your DAF, please use the following details: 

The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research 

Tax ID 74-2655302 

24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive 

PO Box 483 

Ann Arbor, MI 48106 

Please contact Mallory Glenn at (734) 546-8434 or mallory@thehopefoundation.org to learn more.

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