And The Money Kept Rolling In

Recession? What recession?

The folks at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute certainly aren't seeing the effects of the down economy. On the contrary, the Boston-based institution just reached its $1 billion fundraising goal... an entire year early.

"Wow. It's remarkable," Karen Rouse, a senior vice president in the New England Division of the American Cancer Society told the Boston Globe in what might be the understatement of the year.

The institute hauled in more than 1.7 million donations (!) since its campaign began in 2003 and 107 of 'em were for a whopping $1 million or more. Dana-Farber treats cancer patients directly and also conducts important cancer research. About half the money collected is expected to pay for patient care and research, including new drugs and techniques to help doctors locate tumors without biopsies. Another $200 million will go toward new technology and a new building on Dana-Farber's Boston campus.

How did Dana Farber reach its goal so handily when other organizations are struggling?

"Cancer touches virtually everyone,'' Massachusetts Hospital Association president Lynn Nicholas logically explained to the Globe, adding that she can't recall any other medical institution raising so much in a financial drive.

In particular, Dana-Farber's close relationship with the Boston Red Sox helped its fund drive, and it benefited from events like the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, an annual bike-a-thon, as well as assistance from several deep-pocketed foundations. It also doesn't hurt that the cancer institute has been almost universally respected since it opened back in 1947.

Even in the face of a shaky economy, people are still opening up their wallets for a worthy cause. This kind of news just fills us with all sorts of hope.

Photo courtesy of sufinawaz via stock.xchang.