City of Hope and the Los Angeles Dodgers will host their 10th annual ThinkCure! Weekend on July 14 and 15 to raise funds to support innovative cancer research and breakthrough therapies, many of which were developed at City of Hope.

The 2018 campaign will give Dodger fans the opportunity to celebrate courageous cancer survivors and pay tribute to the physicians and researchers keeping them alive. The fundraiser falls during the annual Freeway Series showdown between Southern California rivals, the Dodgers and Angels, and will take place at Dodger Stadium.

“The Dodgers have enjoyed our decade-long partnership with ThinkCure! and are proud to continue to support its efforts to cure this terrible disease that has touched all of us,” said Naomi Rodriguez, Dodger vice president of external affairs and community relations. “Our annual ThinkCure! Weekend is one of the most moving weekends of the year at Dodger Stadium as we celebrate doctors, researchers and survivors, and bring the entire Dodger community together for a common good.”

The games start at 4:15 p.m. PDT on Saturday, July 14, and at 1:10 p.m. PDT on Sunday, July 15. Since its inception, ThinkCure! Weekend at Dodger Stadium has raised more than $2 million in research grants for City of Hope, a world-renowned independent cancer and treatment center, to develop therapies to treat conditions such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well breast, prostate, colon, pancreatic, lung and brain cancer.

An estimated 1.7 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2018 and 609,640 people will die from the disease this year, according to the National Cancer Institute. ThinkCure!, City of Hope and the Dodgers are working together to lower these numbers.

“Thousands of City of Hope patients are indebted to both Dodger fans and staff who help support City of Hope’s breakthrough medical treatments,” said Stephen Forman, M.D., the Francis & Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at City of Hope. “Their generosity gives hope to patients battling life-threatening cancers.”

Although people will not be able to donate in person at Dodger Stadium, they can donate at City of Hope’s ThinkCure! website at: CityofHope.org/thinkcure.

In addition to donations, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will host an auction where fans can bid on autographed Dodger memorabilia. The online auction will run from July 23 to Aug. 6 at Dodgers.com/auctions. Proceeds will go to ThinkCure!. LADF will also contribute $25,000 to ThinkCure!.

Weekend highlights:

• Nine City of Hope physician-scientists and nine City of Hope patients will participate in the Ceremonial First Pitch on Saturday, led by Michael Caligiuri, M.D., the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair and president of City of Hope National Medical Center.
• Pediatric patients treated at City of Hope will get a once-in-a-lifetime experience to join the Dodger players on the field and receive their autograph as part of “Kids Take the Field” on Saturday.

Former Dodgers left-hander Scott Kazmir with last year’s ThinkCure! City of Hope physician-scientists.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 49 comprehensive cancer centers, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the world. City of Hope’s main campus is in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation,cancer immunotherapy, diabetes and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs based on technology developed at the institution. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

About ThinkCure!
ThinkCure! is an innovative, community-based nonprofit organization that raises funds for collaborative research aimed at finding a cure for cancer. Our vision is to bring Southern Californians together to work toward a common cause to cure children and adults of cancer. Our partner, City of Hope, is one of the leading cancer research institutions. Since our inception, we have worked with Dodger fans toward a common cause – to cure children and adults of cancer. We have granted more than $2 million to cancer research, funding collaborative and innovative projects at City of Hope. We are calling on everyone in our community to get involved and make a difference in our fight against cancer.

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(Article courtesy of LA Dodgers)