Cancer foundation awards $130,000 to organizations

The Cancer Research Foundation of North Texas recently presented $130,000 in research and program grants during a dinner held at Cacharel restaurant. The organization has distributed $2.3 million for cancer research and education since its inception in 1987.

That's money raised through the organization's annual Silver Spurs Western Gala, which is scheduled this year for Oct. 25 at an undetermined location.

Among this year's recipients:

The University of North Texas Health Science Center of Fort Worth received $30,000 to establish the Cancer Research Foundation of North Texas Fellows Program, which will fund three student researchers.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center received $20,000 for continued support of a research project by John D. Minna, developing a new approach in selecting individualized therapy for lung-cancer patients.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center also received $15,000 to continue its research project directed by Elizabeth A. Maher. The project is developing a model to examine therapies for metastatic brain disease.

A $10,000 grant was given to Cook Children's Medical Center and its partnership with Giridhar R. Akkaraju, Miraie Wardi and Paul Bowman, whose research examines the role of a protein found in hepatitis C. Researchers say more knowledge about the protein could help doctors understand the influence of hepatitis C virus in triggering cancer in the liver.

Stephen Mathew, Fang Fang Zhang, Paul Bowman and Porunelloor Mathew received $10,000 for a project that is examining molecular pathways found in childhood leukemia and how it relates in ethnic groups.

The University of North Texas Health Science Center received $15,000 in support of Sharad S. Singhal's research, which focuses on membrane transport mechanisms -- how water and other small molecules cross into or out of cells -- and how they affect drug resistance in malignancies.

Sushma Yadav received a $10,000 grant for her continuing research at the University of North Texas Health Science Center into the role certain proteins play in the death of cancer cells.

We Care Services nonprofit organization received $10,000 to purchase, renovate and furnish homes in Arlington where oncology patients can stay while undergoing treatment.

Two $5,000 grants were awarded to fund cabins at Camp Esperanza and Camp Sanguinity at John Marc Camp in Meridian.

The group also honored Tom Cravens with its Cecil Mayfield Torch of Hope award and Faye Landham and Diane Stow with its Angel of Hope awards.

Call 817-261-7654 for more information or to volunteer with the group.