this is more than a campaign. this is a movement. · 2020-01-02 · here’s how: the knight cancer...

THIS IS MORE THAN A CAMPAIGN. THIS IS A MOVEMENT.

WINTER 2015 A publication for friends and supporters of Oregon Health & Science University

2 / ONWARD WINTER 2015

IMPOSSIBLE

NEVER BEEN DONE

DON’T BOTHER

At Oregon Health & Science University we’ve

heard it all before. But being a leader in science

and health care means having the vision and

courage to take chances on big ideas with

outsized potential for impact. >>>>

ONWARD WINTER 2015 / 3

Oregon Health & Science University has a long tradition of taking on the impossible — and delivering. Take the Knight Cancer Challenge, for example. With the support of more than 10,000 donors, we raised $1 billion to fight cancer. In 22 months. It was an unprecedented accomplishment, and many of you reading this were key to achieving it. People from across the globe rallied around the cause, inspired by a simple but audacious vision: to create better methods for detecting cancer at its earliest, most curable stage. It is truly awe-inspiring to think about how this infusion of philanthropic dollars will transform lives (see page 8 for more on the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s vision).

This victory is not an invitation to relax; it is instead a mandate to use the momentum we created to take on new challenges. We are putting the power of philanthropy behind a new set of big ideas that will transform human health.

Welcome to ONWARD: The Campaign for OHSU.

What will our ONWARD campaign support? For starters, we aim to eradicate AIDS. A lab led by OHSU’s Dr. Louis Picker is getting very close to a vaccine that could not only prevent but cure HIV/AIDS. With a significant infusion of philanthropic investment now, Dr. Picker’s team can assemble the resources they need to move faster — and save millions of lives every year (see story on page 14).

Here is another example. The OHSU Casey Eye Institute has set a bold goal: to eliminate preventable blindness and bring sight-saving new treatments to people all over the world. And they have the clinical and research expertise to follow through on it. The ONWARD campaign will introduce Casey to a wider circle of people looking for the right place to invest their philanthropic dollars and provide crucial funding for a new facility slated for construction in 2018.

Throughout this publication, you will learn more about these initiatives, our continued innovative work in cancer, and other aspirations in the neurosciences, cardiology and pediatrics. We know what we can achieve when we match passionate individuals with an inspiring vision. Many thanks for your continued support in keeping our momentum moving ONWARD.

Joseph E. Robertson, Jr., M.D., M.B.A.President, OHSU

L. Keith ToddPresident, OHSU Foundation


Always ONWARDOHSU itself began as a big idea more than

125 years ago as the first medical school in

the still-wild frontier of the Pacific

Northwest. Ever since, OHSU has

challenged the status quo in pursuit of

better care and quality of life for people of

the region and beyond. More recently,

OHSU has become distinguished for its

record of bold breakthroughs in health

and science — innovations that have

brought sweeping improvements to the

treatment of diseases such as cancer, heart

disease, macular degeneration and

neurological disorders. OHSU is a magnet

for creative researchers and clinicians

unafraid to take big risks and unorthodox

OHSU: WHAT’S THE

BIG IDEA?


the Starr-Edwards valve — the first true cure for lethal valve disease. Patients who had been given no hope of survival 55 years ago are still alive today, many with the original Starr-Edwards valve keeping their hearts pumping normally. The company established to market the innovation, now Edwards Lifesciences, remains an industry leader.

Light waves that reveal eye diseaseDavid Huang, M.D., Ph.D., co-invented an imaging tool called optical coherence tomography (OCT) that has been heralded as the most important diagnostic advance in ophthalmology in more than 100 years. OCT is a non-invasive test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures with micron resolution. Ophthalmologists around the world use OCT to head off vision loss in patients with the most common causes of blindness: glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes. Dr. Huang, a professor of ophthalmology at OHSU Casey Eye Institute, along with several of his colleagues, received the 2012 Champalimaud Vision Award, the largest prize in ophthalmology, for the invention.

OHSU is not the largest academic health center in the U.S., but it is widely recognized as one of the best. OHSU invests in people with big ideas. The results speak for themselves.

approaches to accelerate progress. Here

are just a few examples of big ideas that

have transformed lives.

A pill that stops cancer OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Director Brian Druker, M.D., developed the world’s first molecularly targeted treatment able to kill cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. That drug, Gleevec®, turned a deadly form of cancer — chronic myeloid leukemia — into a manageable, chronic condition. Most patients who take Gleevec not only survive, but also avoid chemotherapy and other harsh treatments, greatly improving their quality of life. Druker altered the course of cancer research by proving for the first time that cancer can be stopped at the molecular level. If we understand what’s causing it to grow, we can develop ways to shut it down. Today, Gleevec has saved more than 100,000 lives.

A new part for damaged heartsOHSU heart surgeon Albert Starr, M.D., co-invented and also implanted the world’s first successful artificial human heart valve. His groundbreaking collaboration with engineer M. Lowell Edwards resulted in an elegantly simple device —


INSIDE THIS ISSUEONWARD / WINTER 2015

TAKE DOWN CANCER

STOP HIV/AIDS

HEAL FAMILIES

BEAT HEART DISEASE

TRANSFORM BRAIN HEALTH

END BLINDNESS

HEAL KIDS

WHY PHILANTHROPY MATTERSAt OHSU we have discovered that when we provide the

right setting, our greatest minds think bigger and reach

farther — and change the world. Big ideas translate into

longer lives, stronger families, more vital communities

and a healthier world. Your support makes it possible.

No one can predict when the next “Eureka” moment will

occur. But we do know that philanthropy improves the

likelihood that the light bulb will switch on. Philanthropy

allows OHSU to attract exceptional people, and then

frees them to innovate. In today’s competitive climate,

even the most successful scientists have to compete for

funding. Individuals, foundations and corporations have

never been so crucial to filling the gaps — and

accelerating the pace by which a great idea becomes a

life-changing treatment.

Through the ONWARD campaign, we will raise more

than $2 billion for OHSU by the end of 2020. Thanks to

the success of the Knight Cancer Challenge, we are

already more than halfway toward that goal. By investing

in OHSU, you are helping us set the stage for greatness.

Thank you for pushing us ONWARD.

ONWARD

TAKE DOWN CANCER


CANCER MEETS ITS MATCH AT OHSU


hen Phil and

Penny Knight

issued their bold

fundraising

challenge, some

said it couldn’t be done. No one had ever

raised $500 million in two years to meet a

match. Thanks to supporters like you, we

met the challenge in 22 months – and made

history with the largest successful

fundraising challenge on record. Armed

with $1 billion, we are now launching the

world’s first grand-scale program to

radically improve our ability to detect

cancer early, before it becomes deadly. >>>>


What began as a race to meet a deadline is now an unstoppable movement. More than 10,000 donors from all 50 states — and the world beyond — share OHSU’s vision to defeat cancer. And new supporters continue to join the cause.

Dr. Brian Druker and his team are now launching an ambitious research program to go after the biggest unmet need in cancer care today: early detection. As shown in the chart on the right, the earlier you can identify cancer, the more likely it can be stopped. OHSU launched the targeted therapy revolution with Gleevec. Now, it is time to realize the full potential of precision medicine by finding new methods of detecting lethal cancers at earlier stages.

Leading the chargeThe OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is recruiting about 30 of the world’s top researchers to lead the charge. Each of the 30 will bring a team of experts, which adds up to between 250 and 300 scientists devoted to transforming the way we find and treat cancer. Freed from the constraints of grant-writing, those scientists will be able to devote their time and energy to innovation and results. And, thanks to support from the State of Oregon for needed infrastructure, they’ll be working in a new facility slated to begin construction in summer 2016 on OHSU’s South Waterfront campus. The building will allow us to launch more clinical trials — and deliver promising new tests and treatments to patients as quickly as possible. The success of the Knight Cancer Challenge will lead to more discoveries, new tests and treatments and expanded clinical trial opportunities. And we need to be ready. OHSU is also planning to build a guest house to serve patients and families who must travel long distances to the Knight Cancer Institute and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital for care. (See story on page 20) >>>>

“We have a formidable foe in cancer. We have to attack it as aggressively as it comes after us. And we’ve been given

an opportunity. We’ve got to move forward as quickly and as effectively

as we possibly can.” – Brian Druker, M.D., director, OHSU

Knight Cancer Institute


PROSTATE CANCER

OVARIAN CANCER

BREAST CANCER

LUNG CANCER

5-year survival rate, depending on early or late diagnosis:

Source: SEER Cancer Statistics, National Cancer Institute, 2013©Oregon Health & Science University

WE FIGHT CANCER DIFFERENTLY. HERE’S HOW:The Knight Cancer Institute’s vision is to develop new ways to catch lethal

cancers when they’re just beginning to form and are most curable.

This approach will improve survival rates, reduce the need for harsh

treatments with long-term side effects and prevent over-treatment and

unnecessary treatment. Here’s how we’ll do it:

BEND THE CURVEby tracking cancer to its source and stopping it short.

BEAT THE CLOCKwith enough resources to make a difference in a decade.

PROVIDE THE TOOLSto accelerate discovery and pursue the most promising paths in cancer science.

BUILD THE TEAMfocusing the top minds in cancer to address this critically important problem.

“We will continue raising money for the Knight Cancer Institute until no one dies from cancer and those treated

are able to enjoy normal, healthy lives.”— L. Keith Todd, president, OHSU Foundation


MOVING ONWARDYou can help us meet our next challenge

Our success in the Knight Cancer Challenge does not mean that our work is done. We will continue to need new resources to fight and defeat cancer. Cancer is not one disease; it is hundreds of distinct diseases. As we create more effective ways to detect lethal cancers, we will be driven to develop more effective, less toxic treatments. This work will be propelled forward by the resources so generously contributed through the Knight Cancer Challenge. But we will not rest until our work is done.

In the cloudImagine a future in which doctors could order a DNA

test for their patients and use the results to create a

treatment plan individually tailored to go after their

particular cancer — all within 24 hours. That future

may not be far off, thanks to a new partnership

between OHSU and Intel. These longtime

collaborators recently teamed up to create a

computing and analytics platform that aims to make

it far faster and less costly to use an individual

patient’s genetic data to find and treat the root

causes of cancer. The Collaborative Cancer Cloud

will enable doctors to share vast amounts of genetic

and clinical data while protecting patient privacy.

Securely sharing large pools of data among multiple

institutions will lead to potentially life-saving

discoveries and could ultimately advance precision

medicine in all disease areas. The project has an

ambitious goal to benefit patients by providing “all in

one day” treatment plans by 2020.

“We can turn a process that’s agonizing and uncertain for countless millions

of people into a predictable, highly tailored, one-day diagnosis

and treatment recommendation.”– Brian Druker, M.D.

ONWARD

STOP HIV / AIDS


TIME’S UP, AIDS


Looking beyond HIV/AIDS

The team at OHSU’s Vaccine

and Gene Therapy Institute is

using what they learn with the

HIV/AIDS vaccine to develop

vaccines for tuberculosis and

malaria. Using the same

approach, they have already

developed a TB vaccine that is

more effective at protecting

rhesus monkeys from infection

than the most successful

vaccine currently in use around

the globe. The lab’s work on a

malaria vaccine is still

preliminary, but shows promise.

It’s impossible to overstate the

dramatic impact these three

vaccines could make on

world health.

“The approach we’ve developed at OHSU is unique and has the potential to be a huge game-changer not only in HIV/AIDS but in many other diseases.” – Louis Picker, M.D.,

associate director, OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute

HSU is getting close to a

vaccine that stops HIV/

AIDS. But we want to

move faster. Philanthropic

support will speed the

way to a vaccine – and save millions of lives.

After more than 30 years and 30 million lost lives, there is now reason to believe that an end to HIV/AIDS is in sight. OHSU’s Dr. Louis Picker made international headlines when he announced that his vaccine not only prevented monkeys from contracting SIV, the virus that causes AIDS in monkeys, it completely cleared the virus from their bodies — as if they had

never been infected. Picker expects that this vaccine will also work in humans, and will begin testing it for human safety in 2016. With support from donors like you, OHSU can clear the scientific hurdles more quickly.

The preventive vaccine discovery has given rise to a hope that the same approach might also cure an established HIV/AIDS infection. As Picker’s lab continues to refine the preventive vaccine, they are simultaneously pursuing a vaccine that can cure AIDS. Clearing the virus after someone has become infected is more difficult than preventing an infection, but they are already making significant progress.

A vaccine is the ideal way to eradicate AIDS once and for all — a safe, affordable injection that can be made available to anyone living anywhere. >>>>


HIV/AIDS: It’s not over yetFor those with access to regular health care, an HIV positive diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. Advanced retroviral therapy has made it possible to live a normal lifespan with an HIV infection, and new preventive medications offer new hope to those at risk of infection. And yet for millions of people around the world without access to health care — and even for some with access — HIV/AIDS is as devastating as it ever was.

In the U.S.: • There are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV. • Approximately 50,000 people become infected every year,

and about 1 in 4 of those new infections occurs in young people aged 13 – 24.

• As of 2014, less than a third of Americans with HIV had their virus under control through effective care and treatment. It’s too soon to know how the Affordable Care Act will affect that number.

“We have a vaccine that elicits a unique kind of immune response. It keeps the immune system perpetually ‘armed and dangerous,’ prepared to attack HIV. With our vaccine, the

immune system can intercept the virus more quickly and stop it cold.” – Louis Picker, M.D.

• It’s estimated that more than 650,000 people in the U.S. have died of AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic.

Around the world: • Globally, nearly 37 million people are living with HIV, and

more than 30 million have died from AIDS since the earliest cases were detected in the 1980s.

• In countries such as Swaziland and Lesotho, more than 20 percent of the population is either HIV positive or living with full-blown AIDS.

• Internationally, the number of newly-infected people each year outnumbers those who gain access to treatment by two to one. Only about half of those who need treatment for HIV are currently receiving it. >>>>

“The AIDS epidemic is not gone, it has simply fallen from our attention here in the U.S.” – Louis Picker, M .D.


Why this vaccine could be the one that works

Picker’s lab at OHSU is one of only a handful of teams around the world making real progress on an HIV/AIDS

vaccine. His team has invested more than 15 years in refining a vaccine that is close to being ready for safety

testing in humans. His approach carries several advantages:

PERSISTENCE

CMV VECTOR

PEOPLE

RESOURCES

Most vaccines lose their effectiveness over time, but Picker’s vaccine keeps the immune system on constant alert for life, continually preventing the virus from emerging and ultimately eliminating it from the body.

Almost everyone lives with small levels of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in their bodies. At low levels, the virus poses no threat. Because of its ubiquity, permanence and safety, CMV offers Dr. Picker an ideal conduit for introducing vaccines into the body.

Picker is backed by a world-class team of scientists and researchers, including immunologists, virologists and veterinarians who have been collaborating under his direction since 2001. These specialists have come to Portland from around the world to work in his lab.

OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center is among the largest, longest established and most respected facilities for animal research in the world. The primate center has been central to Picker’s breakthroughs in vaccine research.


MOVING ONWARDYou can help speed the pace of discovery

There is little doubt that, step by step, Picker’s team will develop a safe, effective, affordable vaccine for HIV/AIDS. The real question is: how soon? In today’s climate of declining government funding for research, the answer to that question is largely dependent upon philanthropic dollars. With a significant infusion of philanthropic support, Picker can expand his team, focus on research and launch new studies that will find answers to key questions more quickly.

A life’s work

Dr. Louis Picker’s career — and life — has intersected

with the AIDS epidemic since the 1980s, when he

saw some of the first cases of the disease while

attending medical school at the University of

California, San Francisco. As a pathology resident, he

performed autopsies on some of AIDS’ first victims.

His wife, Belinda Beresford, covered the spread of

AIDS as a journalist in South Africa. Their family

includes six children, one of whom lost his biological

parents to AIDS.

We will invest donations in these priority areas:

Lead scientistsWe will recruit approximately five lead scientists and their teams — each a world leader in a specialty such as vaccines, virology, immunology or clinical trials.

Early career scientistsPulling from the best universities in the world, we will recruit approximately five early career scientists and their teams. Each will be chosen for early research promise and expertise in a key area, such as clinical trials.

Oregon National Primate Research CenterContinued investment in OHSU’s primate center is central to Picker’s scientific approach.

FacilitiesOHSU is considering various options for building new facilities to house the expanding team.

“I spend 80 percent of my time writing grants. Philanthropy will allow me to

spend that time in the lab and make progress faster.” – Louis Picker, M.D.

ONWARD

HEAL FAMILIES


A NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME


very year, thousands of

patients travel from across

the region for advanced

medical care only available

at OHSU and OHSU

Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Many are

quite ill, and face difficult treatments that

can require many weeks to complete.

Managing the logistics and expense of

temporary housing places more stress on

families already coping with a difficult

situation. OHSU is building a new guest

house on Portland’s South Waterfront to

provide a comfortable, affordable home

base for those who must put their lives on

hold while their loved one heals. >>>>


Hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices are but one part of the healing process. To recover and thrive, patients need to be surrounded by loved ones and free from stress. Convenient family housing is a key element of patient- and family-centered care, eliminating a major source of worry for patients and families who must leave home for specialized care. The OHSU Guest House is a crucial lifeline to patients and families in crisis, providing the means to stay rested, strong and consistently available to support the ill family member.

It is widely acknowledged that both children and adults recover more quickly when they have strong family support nearby. The OHSU Guest House will provide a sanctuary to a wide range of patients and families, including:

• Parents of fragile premature infants• Children undergoing epilepsy surgery• Bone marrow transplant patients facing a months-long

recovery time• Cancer patients participating in Phase I clinical trials

Architectural plans are still evolving, but OHSU plans to offer more than 80 beds in 68 units, allowing us to house more than 3,000 patients, families and caregivers every year — a significant increase over current capacity.

ZGF Architects and Edward M. Weinstein Architecture and Planning are working with OHSU to design an environment that welcomes patients of all ages, builds a sense of community and provides access to nature. The current design includes:

• Two floors devoted to pediatric patients and families • Two floors for adult patients and their families or

caregivers • Communal kitchen • Movie room • Library • Computer room • Meditation room • Roof-top garden • Indoor and outdoor play areas • Laundry

MOVING ONWARDYou can help build a new home base for families in crisis

The OHSU Guest House will be 100 percent funded by philanthropy. With your help, we can create an oasis of peace and healing for patients and families facing the stress of a medical emergency.

ONWARD

BEAT HEART DISEASE


WE CAN SAVE 110,000 LIVES

A YEAR


he OHSU Knight

Cardiovascular Institute is

leading a new revolution

in cardiovascular medicine

that will make heart

attacks and strokes more preventable,

childhood heart defects more correctable

and life-long vitality more achievable for

people of all ages.

What if we could prevent more than 110,000 premature deaths every year? In theory, at least, we can. That’s how many people are struck down before their time by avoidable heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular catastrophes. In practice, however, prevention is hard. Cardiovascular disease has reigned as the world’s leading cause of death for nearly a century. We may know its main causes, but there’s a wide gap between our knowledge and how we use it to save lives. Those 110,000 premature deaths are only the tip of the iceberg of cardiovascular disease’s devastation, but they are emblematic of the power of prevention to save lives. >>>>


Stopping disease before it startsBetter prevention and earlier treatment of the underlying causes of heart disease are the first steps toward a dramatically lower death rate. OHSU is a global leader in advanced biomedical imaging, high-performance biocomputing and specialized genetic testing. All three of these areas of strength have significant potential to reveal the earliest, molecular-level signals of a cardiovascular problem before it becomes life-threatening, and to diagnose and treat pediatric heart defects earlier than ever before. The following research programs top our priority list:

Pediatric cardiology/fetal therapy: Emerging technology now enables pediatric cardiologists to identify and address congenital heart diseases and defects in utero — yes, before the baby is even born. Why is this critical? Early intervention has the potential to boost survival and later quality of life. The sooner we fix a problem, the sooner these tiny patients can recover and continue their normal development. With investment in Oregon’s first fetal cardiology research program, supporters can advance OHSU’s search for the genetic basis of these conditions so we can predict and treat them even earlier.

Vascular biology: Many of the most devastating cardiovascular diseases — heart attacks, strokes, aneurysms — are caused by leaking or obstructed blood vessels. OHSU is breaking new ground in understanding the chemical and genetic traits of the vascular system at the molecular level. Investment in a dedicated stroke research and care unit within the Knight

Cardiovascular Institute will accelerate the discovery of new treatments and methods of prevention that attack the underlying causes of blood clots and tissue damage.

Rhythm of successThe Knight Cardiovascular Institute is emerging as one of the nation’s premier cardiovascular centers as a result of Phil and Penny Knight’s $125 million founding investment in 2011. OHSU is launching ambitious research projects, enhancing our patients’ clinical experiences and expanding our research internationally. Since receiving the Knights’ gift we have:• Recruited faculty leaders in priority areas such as vascular

biology• Expanded our patients’ access to major clinical trials• Started construction of one of the nation’s few PET imaging

centers equipped with an on-site cyclotron (particle accelerator)

• Opened the only around-the-clock cardiac intensive care unit on the West Coast staffed by both an onsite cardiologist and intensive care specialist

MOVING ONWARDYou can help take cardiovascular disease out of circulation

Through your gift, you can help us beat cardiovascular disease. Philanthropic support now will help transform the health, quality of life and economy of communities across Oregon and around the world.

ONWARD

TRANSFORM BRAIN HEALTH


WE’RE RETHINKING BRAINS


rom developmental

disorders such as

autism to degenerative

conditions such as

Alzheimer’s disease,

we are creating new hope for

patients young and old.

OHSU neuroscientists are rewriting the story of brain disease. They reject the notion that there’s no cure on the horizon for people living with debilitating neurological or psychiatric disorders. At least 50 million Americans live with some form of limiting or life-threatening brain disorder. That’s 50 million stories we can rewrite through advanced biomedical research. >>>>


Thought leaders in brain researchWe are positioned for leadership in this new era of neuroscience because, year after year, OHSU ranks among the nation’s largest and most productive centers of brain research. Working together, our neuroscientists have made breakthroughs revealing the way brain cells develop and function, why they die or degenerate and how to regrow them. We have some of the world’s most powerful scientific imaging instruments, and more are on the way to help us dive more deeply into the secrets of the nerve cell. We are also reimagining the potential of non-invasive surgical technologies in the routine care of chronic diseases such as pain, depression and Parkinson’s. And we are investing in the neurosciences thought leaders of tomorrow by supporting graduate scholars and up-and-coming faculty stars. Your support provides the catalyst for this comprehensive vision to close the book on brain diseases once and for all.

Brain health across the lifespanResearchers and clinicians across OHSU’s neuroscience community are exploring the early development and later

decline of the cells that form our brain and nervous system. Their work couldn’t be timelier. Among children, diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity and autism spectrum disorders are increasing dramatically. As the nation’s over-65 population continues to increase, the incidence of later-life diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s will escalate. By focusing on the brain’s genetic and molecular blueprints, we are finding commonalities between groups of diseases once considered unrelated. This positions our neuroscientists to make discoveries that benefit people at all stages of life.

MOVING ONWARDYou can help inspire the next brain science breakthrough

With your support our world-class neuroscientists can leverage state-of-the-art tools to explore their boldest ideas. We can involve more patients in clinical studies of exciting new treatments. And we can invest in tomorrow’s brightest minds in neuroscience – the graduate students and early-career faculty who will take this work forward in the future.

ONWARD

END BLINDNESS


BUILDING MOMENTUM


s the region’s premier eye care center and

research hub, OHSU Casey Eye Institute is

determined to eliminate preventable

blindness and bring new sight-saving

treatments to people around the world.

Today we have a unique opportunity to expand our world-

class research and educational programs and treat more

patients with innovative therapies. >>>>

“There has never been a more promising time for eye research. We are on the cusp of new cures we could not

have dreamed of 20 years ago.” – Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A., president, OHSU


Imagine a future without blindness At the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, one of the world’s most elite teams of research leaders and clinical care experts is creating a future in which no one has to go blind. We have earned our reputation for innovation with some of the field’s most important breakthroughs:• Created world’s first gene therapy treatment for juvenile

macular degeneration and Usher syndrome• Discovered world’s first stem cell therapy for retinitis

pigmentosa• Co-invented a diagnostic tool called optical coherence

tomography that has been heralded as the most important advance in ophthalmology in more than 100 years

In 2014 the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research ranked Casey 5th in the nation for federally funded eye research. Today, OHSU is building a state-of-the-art facility that will expand our world-class research, enhance educational programs and allow us to treat more patients with innovative therapies.

Making room for innovation OHSU is building a 60,000-square-foot building that will house some of Casey’s most important programs, including the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic, the Macular Degeneration Center, the Gene Therapy Center and the Casey Eye Institute Reading Center. The facility will enable:• New facilities for subspecialty care for children

with glaucoma, and retinal and orbital disease• Shorter waiting times for children receiving

care at the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic• Expanded programs in gene therapy and

ophthalmic imaging• Enhanced collaboration among research teams

Zeroing in on macular degenerationAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is by far the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States, and it is on the rise as our population ages. There are two main forms, “wet” and “dry” AMD. Although treatments are available for wet AMD, they are not long lasting and require monthly visits to the eye doctor. There are virtually no treatment options for dry AMD, which affects the vast majority of macular degeneration patients. The new facility will house Casey’s Macular Degeneration Center, where researchers are undertaking some of the most important AMD research in the world.

The center’s accomplishments include:• Establishing an ongoing study involving more than 4,500

patients, which has revealed crucial insights into the genetics underlying AMD

• Serving as one of two research sites in the U.S. testing a gene therapy for wet AMD, to replace current treatments using eye injections

• Developing new stem cell therapies for macular degeneration

A visionary partnership

Since 1949, the Oregon State Elks Association has

been one of OHSU’s most steadfast partners. Its

philanthropy established the Elks Children’s Eye

Clinic, which provides more than 16,000 child eye

visits each year. In addition to financial support, the

Oregon Elks provide more than 7,500 volunteer

hours at the clinic every year, equivalent to more

than three full-time positions.

MOVING ONWARDHelp us accelerate progress

A $15 million gift from the Elks Youth Eye Service anda $5 million gift from private philanthropist John Wold madeit possible to start planning, but we will need to raise a total of $50 million in philanthropic support to complete this facilityand provide support for our innovative programs. With your philanthropic support we can complete this new research and patient care facility — and speed the pace of innovation.

ONWARD

HEAL KIDS


EVERY CHILD DESERVES THE BEST


HSU Doernbecher

Children’s Hospital’s

combination of

world-class expertise

and family-centered

care makes us the region’s most

important resource for children’s health.

Indeed, U.S. News & World Report has

consistently ranked us as one of the

nation’s best children’s hospitals. With

your help, we can ensure that all

children in Oregon and our region can

benefit from the exceptional care and

research breakthroughs Doernbecher

has to offer. >>>>


A tradition of hope and healing Doernbecher has been providing hope and healing to children and their families for nearly 90 years. Since we opened our doors in 1926, we have never turned away a sick child for inability to pay. We have a clear-cut mission: caring for children and saving their lives. Our patients come from Alaska, Idaho, northern California, rural Oregon and elsewhere for specialized care that other regional hospitals don’t offer. We are a Level 1 trauma center and our 151-bed hospital has the largest pediatric intensive care unit in Oregon. In addition to our facility on Marquam Hill, Doernbecher offers primary care and specialty services in locations throughout the Portland metro area and in outreach clinics across the state. We also use a state-of-the-art telemedicine network to provide patients in community hospitals throughout Oregon immediate access to Doernbecher’s Portland-based pediatric critical care specialists.

Doernbecher scientists in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute are making scientific breakthroughs in dozens of areas offering new hope to children contending with hard-to-treat illnesses. For example, Doernbecher doctors were the first in the world to use the anti-cancer drug Gleevec® to treat patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Today, thanks to Gleevec, children with that rare form of leukemia can expect to live a normal lifespan. (See story on page 6).

MOVING ONWARDYou can change the world for children

With your philanthropic support, we can bring better care and new hope to children throughout the region. Your philanthropic dollars can help us expand the range of services available to kids, accelerate new cures for hard-to-treat children’s diseases and provide an excellent education for the next generation of pediatric specialists.

Our current philanthropic priority is to fund the construction of a new guest house on Portland’s South Waterfront, which will create a home away from home for Doernbecher patient families facing a medical crisis (see page 21). Our next priority is to build a stable long-term source of support for our Department of Pediatrics through endowed funds. Endowed funds are ongoing funds that donors establish for a specific purpose, such as a professorship or research fund. We invest the money, which in turn generates an annual income for Doernbecher. Endowed funds allow us to attract top clinicians, support excellence and innovation in the Department of Pediatrics and accelerate progress towards new cures, like Gleevec.

Endowed funds are an excellent way for donors to leave a legacy for generations to come, and are often named after the individual donor, his or her family or a loved one. Doernbecher

Doernbecher points of distinction:Families travel to Doernbecher for specialized

services that other regional hospitals don’t offer:

• Advanced cancer care

• Access to Phase 1 clinical trials

• Pediatric bone marrow transplants

• Pediatric epilepsy surgery

• Advanced fetal therapy

• Pediatric brain tumor surgery

exists today because Frank S. Doernbecher left $200,000 in his will in 1921 to benefit the people of Oregon ($2.4 million in today’s dollars). The Doernbechers were convinced of the need for a special hospital that would improve our ability to care for children and prevent childhood diseases. The Doernbecher family specified that patients would be treated in this hospital regardless of their ability to pay. Today Doernbecher is the Northwest’s premier pediatric hospital, providing exceptional family-centered care to the children of the region and beyond.

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OnwardOHSU.org

1121 SW Salmon Street, Suite 100 | Portland, OR 97205

this is more than a campaign. this is a movement. · 2020-01-02 · here’s how: the knight cancer...

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