DeGregorio Family Foundation Marks 20 Years of Advancing Gastric and Esophageal Cancer Research

~ Only Public Foundation Solely Dedicated to Funding Research for These Deadly Cancers Has Awarded Nearly $10 Million in Grants to Researchers at Leading Institutions ~

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The DeGregorio Family Foundation, the only public foundation exclusively dedicated to funding research grants for gastric and esophageal cancers, also known as gastroesophageal cancer, proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Founded in 2006 by Wall Street executive Lynn DeGregorio after the devastating loss of 10 family members to a hereditary form of gastric cancer, the Foundation has become a critical catalyst for innovation in a field historically underfunded and overlooked.

Over the past two decades, the DeGregorio Family Foundation has awarded just under $10 million in 38 competitive research grants to leading scientists at premier institutions including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The Foundation fills a vital niche in cancer research by providing "seed funding" for bold, promising ideas that are often too new to qualify for large institutional grants. This early support enables researchers to validate hypotheses and secure follow-on funding from major sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"Our model is simple but powerful," said Lynn DeGregorio, President and Founder. "We fund great science and recently have moved to high-impact projects that are closer to the patient. On average, every dollar we invest generates 11 dollars in subsequent research funding — and 100 percent of all donations go directly to research."

In Fall 2025, the Foundation awarded its Michael F. Price Memorial Grant to two groundbreaking studies: one at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the potential to advance to a clinical trial upon successful completion, and another at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, supporting a clinical trial involving 10 patients with gastroesophageal cancer.

As the Foundation enters its third decade, its mission is more urgent than ever. Advances in gastric and esophageal cancer research can yield insights applicable across cancer types, as many tumors share common biomarkers or genetic mutations.  

All DeGregorio Family Foundation grants are evaluated using the same rigorous peer review process employed by the NIH and are scored by its Scientific Advisory Board comprised of world-renowned experts in oncology and cancer research.

"Twenty years ago, gastric and esophageal cancers received little attention," concluded DeGregorio. "Today, we are seeing real momentum — and real hope."

For more information about the DeGregorio Family Foundation and its research initiatives, visit www.degregorio.org.

For high-res. photos: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/5MVfdXGKOm

SOURCE DeGregorio Family Foundation