IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Regarding the Status of PHLBI and PMC

from Executive Director Clare Cameron

It is with a mix of emotions that I am writing to inform you of a significant change in status at The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI).

We are reaching out to our valued donors to share this important news; express our deep appreciation for your past support; and assure you that the money you helped us raise, will be properly used to further PHLBI’s Mission to develop immuno-therapeutic treatments for those with Mesothelioma.

During these disruptive times, it has been hard to raise money, and difficult to find qualified scientists to oversee and perform the work in our Lab. After extensive conversations failed to have UCLA take our Institute under its wing, the Board of Directors decided that the best way to ensure that most of the money raised was being used for the purpose to perform the Mission, decided to dissolve the nonprofit, and donate its equipment and money to Institutes who have well-oiled machines with resources:

1.      UCLA is a prestigious institution renowned for its commitment to education, research, and community engagement. Our gift to UCLA’s Foundation will build a legacy for PHLBI to incentivize the continuation of Dr. Cameron’s research at UCLA’s Punch Lab. and honor the longtime collaboration between the two organizations. Dr. Cameron’s goal is to be able to recalibrate the mesothelioma patient’s immune response to recognize and fight the cancer. In the process he and his team will evaluate potential therapies, including his long-term interest in gene-modified mesenchymal stem cells from various sources.

AND:

2.      OHSU (Oregon Health & Sciences University), a distinguished, and nationally recognized University that focuses on discoveries to prevent and cure diseases; the training of medical scientists, and healthcare professionals on patient care that incorporates the latest advances.

OHSU’s Center for Experimental Therapies (CET) is actively engaged in the development of novel strategies to treat mesothelioma and overcome resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapies.

To facilitate this transition, we will be working closely with OHSU & UCLA’s development office to ensure the proper transfer of funds, along with any specific designations or restrictions that you may have made.

The Comprehensive Mesothelioma Center of Excellence, under the supervision of Dr. Cameron, will continue with research on mesothelioma at the Punch Lab . at UCLA. You can still make donations which are tax free to his lab, stipulating on your donation that the money is to be given to Dr. Cameron’s Mesothelioma Research program. Please send your donation to:

The UCLA Foundation

PO. Box 7145 Pasadena, CA 91109-9903

or call Molly Bayaa at 310-622-3968

If you have any questions or concerns about this transition, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at ccameron@phlbi.org. and I will be more than happy to assist you. We are committed to making this transition as smooth and transparent as possible.

Once again, on behalf of the Board of Directors, we thank you for your amazing support over the years. We did have so much fun at our rides, walks and galas. and raised awareness for this insidious disease. We will miss not seeing you but we will always have special memories and a place in our hearts for the wonderful people and Meso warriors that we have had the privilege of getting to know.

With sincere appreciation.

Clare Cameron

The Pacific Mesothelioma Center at PHLBI

The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute

Established in 2002, the vision of The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI) is to rapidly develop and/or invest in early stage research into effective treatments for diseases of the heart, lungs, and blood, including rare cancers such as mesothelioma and thymus cancer. The mission of PHLBI is to generate hope through funding innovative research and education.

The Pacific Mesothelioma Center

The Pacific Mesothelioma Center, a division of The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, was established in 2012 with the mission of improving lives of mesothelioma patients through education on lung-sparing treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and to develop and/or invest in groundbreaking research of new treatment options, in hopes of finding a cure.

https://www.phlbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PHLBI-Divisions.png

The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute has a vision of holding three divisions, one for the heart, lungs and blood. Over the past 20 years, our organization has been focused on the research and treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

Our goal is to one day expand our research funding and treatment capabilities toward other areas of the chest.

https://www.phlbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/mesothelioma-labelled-2.png
Mesothelioma is a rare, deadly cancer with only 3,000 diagnoses in the United States each year.

This aggressive cancer of the lining of the chest and abdomen, or the mesothelium, has no known cure. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral. For much of the 20th century, asbestos was commonly used as a thermal and electrical insulator because it is highly flame-resistant. Because of its properties, asbestos was used to manufacture countless building materials worldwide, until the 1970s when its adverse health effects became more clear.

The Pacific Mesothelioma Center funds innovative research into multi-modal mesothelioma treatment courses.

Make a difference by donating today.

Your contribution will fund innovative, hope-restoring mesothelioma research.