Peach Bowl, Inc. has committed an additional $2.5 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, expanding funding for 18 promising pediatric cancer clinical trials that currently serve 79 children across seven facilities nationwide.
The donation represents the second major capital injection into the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund, following the original $20 million contribution that established the program in 2019. Since its inception, the fund has grown to support cutting-edge drug trials and treatments spanning both pediatric and adult facilities around the country.
"The Peach Bowl was created to give back, and we continue to follow that mission through our donation and commitment to fund the most promising clinical trials," said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO. "Our goal in creating the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund was to partner with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and give them the resources they need so that together we can work to advance treatment for childhood cancer."
Expanding Trial Portfolio
The overall goal of the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund is to ensure that high-priority novel agents, devices and treatment strategies can be tested in patients at an accelerated pace, eventually leading to additional treatment options and cures. Funding is used specifically for developing drugs and novel treatments – including cellular therapies – that physicians at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center believe have the best chance of success.
In July, the fifth funding cycle was finalized, utilizing the final remaining $3.6 million from the original donation to award funding to four new trials, bringing the total number of ongoing trials and studies to 18.
New Clinical Investigations
The newly funded trials represent diverse approaches to pediatric cancer treatment:
Thomas Cash, MD will study a tumor-suppressing drug for eligible patients with solid tumors. Sarah Mitchell, MD will launch the first immunotherapy trial for children with osteosarcoma using a drug that has shown success as an upfront therapy for other pediatric cancers.
Building off years of collaboration with the University of Georgia, Tobey MacDonald, MD's study aims to increase survival for children with incurable brain tumors using immunotherapy. Michelle Schoettler, MD will study a novel drug to prevent thrombotic microangiopathy following a blood and marrow transplant.
"Thanks to the tremendous support from Peach Bowl Inc. our researchers will receive additional funding to help move their research from bench to bedside efforts as they continue to identify new ways to treat pediatric cancers," said Douglas Graham, MD, PhD, Chief, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
Sustained Funding Commitment
Peach Bowl, Inc. is committed to the long-term sustainability of the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund and is continuing to find ways to inject new funding into the program. That ongoing funding will include corporate donations from Peach Bowl, Inc. and Aflac totaling $200,000 in connection with the two Aflac Kickoff Games – set to be played over Labor Day weekend – along with the proceeds from the 50/50 fan raffles at the games potentially delivering another $100,000 for the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund.
Personal Inspiration
The fund carries deep personal significance for the organization. In September 2018, Anna Charles "AC" Hollis, a patient at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, passed away from acute myeloid leukemia. Anna Charles is the daughter of Peach Bowl, Inc. VP of Sales, Benji Hollis and is the inspiration for the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund, named in her honor.
Peach Bowl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization recognized as college football's most charitable bowl organization, having donated more than $69.3 million to organizations in need throughout its history.
