Head For The Cure

THE HEAD FOR THE CURE FOUNDATION IS WHOLLY DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING BRAIN TUMOR AND BRAIN CANCER PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGH INVESTIGATIVE AND CLINICAL RESEARCH FUNDING, AND EDUCATIONAL AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMS.

WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC EXTENDING ITS GRIP FROM 2020 INTO 2021, HEAD FOR THE CURE WAS FORCED TO AGAIN PRODUCE VIRTUAL 5K EVENTS IN MOST CITIES IN 2021, 14 IN TOTAL. AS COMMUNITIES GAINED MORE CONTROL OF THE PANDEMIC THROUGH VACCINATIONS AND MASKING, HEAD FOR THE CURE RETURNED TO ITS SIGNATURE 5K RUN/WALK EVENTS IN AUGUST 2021, PRODUCING NINE IN-PERSON 5K EVENTS IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ONE BIKE RIDE IN KANSAS CITY BY YEAR END. IN ADDITION, THANKS TO AN ACTIVE AND GENEROUS COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERS, HFTC SPONSORED OR PARTNERED WITH OTHER GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZERS TO PRODUCE DOZENS OF OTHER COMMUNITY-DRIVEN FUNDRAISERS THROUGH THE YEAR, WHILE ALSO HOSTING BI-MONTHLY SUPPORT CALLS FOR PATIENTS, SURVIVORS, AND CAREGIVERS.OUR EVENTS AND OTHER FUNDRAISING VENTURES RAISED NEARLY $2.2 MILLION, MAKING 2021 THE 3RD HIGHEST REVENUE TOTAL RAISED IN HFTC HISTORY, AND ENABLING HFTC TO ISSUE 32 GRANTS TO OUR PARTNER HOSPITALS, BRAIN TUMOR CENTERS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN ADDITION, WE GRANTED THREE LARGE GRANTS TO THE BRAIN TUMOR TRIALS COLLABORATIVE (BTTC) FOR THE 16TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR. WE CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN OUR BRAINS FOR THE CURE PATIENT AND CAREGIVER ONLINE NAVIGATOR BY INTRODUCING NEW RESOURCES AND SUPPORT GROUPS.AFTER ESTABLISHING OUR MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD (MAB) IN 2020, THIS YEAR THE MAB SPENT TIME ESTABLISHING AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS TO EXPAND HEAD FOR THE CURE'S GRANTING PORTFOLIO. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE SEED FUNDING FOR NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TREAT BRAIN TUMORS OR TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES THAT ALSO FOCUS ON NON-INTERVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES. THESE GRANTS WILL BE ISSUED IN Q4 2022.HEAD FOR THE CURE'S DEDICATED STAFF, HIGHLY ENGAGED AND SUPPORTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS, GENEROUS SPONSORS, THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS, DONORS AND SUPPORTERS, AND AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS CONTINUES TO ENERGIZE THE HFTC FOUNDATION. AS A RESULT, THAT COLLECTIVE ENERGY TRANSFORMED INTO JOYFUL EXPERIENCES AND HOPE-FILLED OPTIMISM ACROSS THE HFTC COMMUNITY.MORE THAN EVER, HFTC RELIED ON LONG-ESTABLISHED PARTNERS AND RELATIONSHIPS TO GUIDE US, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, WE WELCOMED NEW PARTNERS AND BUILT STRONG NEW RELATIONSHIPS. EVERY VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON 5K EVENT, EVERY GOLF TOURNAMENT AND COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EVENT, AND EVERY PATIENT PERSPECTIVE AND CAREGIVER CONVERSATIONS SUPPORT MEETING GAVE US NEW INSIGHT, NEW ENERGY, AND RENEWED MOTIVATION TO BECOME A STRONGER FOUNDATION TO CONTINUE OUR SERVICE TO THE BRAIN TUMOR COMMUNITY.