Month: July 2021

In collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer, FFF established the Peggy Prescott Early Career Scientist Award in Colorectal Cancer Research and in March 2019 we awarded a first grant of $50,000 to Dr. Karin Pelka, whose research in the area of immunotherapy is expected to produce cutting-edge and innovative science for decades to come.  Alongside the other members of SU2C’s Colorectal Dream Team, Dr. Pelka is focusing on the pathways that shape myeloid cells in human CRC and aim to uncover how myeloid cells orchestrate anti-tumor immunity in MSI tumors.   In the coming year, the team is also working to provide free colonoscopy screenings in minority and medically underserved communities.

In honor of Mother’s Day 2021, Dak and the FFF Foundation hosted a virtual fundraising campaign.  Dak personally matched all donations made during this event, resulting in enough funding to award a grant to another early career scientist who will join the SU2C Colorectal Dream Team and continue making progress in the fight against this devastating disease. 

When our country was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, FFF recognized critical areas of need and, to date, we have made grants totaling nearly $65,000 to a number of organizations providing necessary resources to first-responders and individuals most impacted by the health crisis, including: Operation Progress, Travis Frederick’s Blocking Out Hunger Foundation and Minnie’s Food Pantry. We also supported the Haughton and Shreveport Fire Departments in Louisiana by providing an AeroClave Disinfecting System to sanitize fire trucks and other local facilities, a fogger, and Personal Protection Equipment (3,500 KN95 Masks and Gloves, N-100 Respirators with filters and protective gowns).