Stand Up To Cancer and the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Announce New HPV Research
The Farrah Fawcett Foundation announced on Monday that it is partnering up with Stand Up to Cancer to form a team specifically designed in researching HPV and HPV-related cancers.
The late actress' foundation posted on their website, "The Farrah Fawcett Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer are teaming up to commit one million dollars over a three-year period to fund a collaborative translational research team that addresses critical problems in HPV-related cancers. According to the CDC, high-risk human papilloma viruses are responsible for 90% of anal cancers (the cancer that took Farrah's life) and cervical cancers, as well as many vaginal, vulvar, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers. We are very proud of this collaboration."
The 1.2 million raised by both the Fawcett Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer will be issued as a grant to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to start a clinical trial for an antigen that will fight anal cancer.
President of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, Alana Stewart also made an announcement on the news. Stewart explained that the new research will "...focus on patients with HPV-driven cancers (including anal, cervical, and head and neck cancers) who relapse following initial therapy, and for whom few therapeutic options are available, and will provide a novel approach to improving outcomes in this population."
Stewart continued, "Farrah was committed to the struggle against anal cancer and other forms of cancer. We are very pleased to continue Farrah's legacy by supporting this important scientific initiative."
The HPV research is set to commence in July of 2014.
Farrah Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. After going into remission, Fawcett's cancer returned in an aggressive state. Once her cancer returned, Fawcett decided to document her doctor's visits and treatments with her video camera. The video footage resulted in the creation of her documentary, Farrah's Story.
Farrah's Story later earned her an Emmy Award following her death. Fawcett died at the age of 62 on June of 2009.