GM Foundation Donates $400,000 to Cancer Research

Kim and Mark Reuss to Chair Karmanos Cancer Institute's 31st Annual Dinner April 20

DETROIT, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The General Motors Foundation donated $400,000 for the second straight year to support cancer research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. This generous gift, which will help recruit highly specialized cancer researchers, celebrates Karmanos' 31st Annual Dinner and brings the combined contribution from the GM Foundation and General Motors to nearly $6.4 million over the last 16 years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20071106/KARMANOSLOGO)

In addition, Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America, and his wife Kim, will serve as chairs for Karmanos' Annual Dinner this year. The event will be held Saturday evening, April 20. This is the third consecutive year that GM's top leadership has chaired this signature event, beginning with GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson and his wife Karin in 2011; followed by GM Senior Vice President of Global Product Development Mary Barra and her husband Tony in 2012.

Health and human services is one of four key focus areas for the foundation.

"The GM Foundation is pleased to support Karmanos' outstanding work to help end cancer," said Vivian Pickard, president of the GM Foundation. "Not only is Karmanos' state-of-the-science cancer research and cancer care known locally and nationally, its reputation extends across the globe. We're happy to support Karmanos' Annual Dinner but more importantly, its continued fight to eradicate this disease."  

Chevrolet Motor Division is the Host Sponsor of this year's Annual Dinner. This year's exciting event will be held at the General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center located at 2500 East Grand Blvd., in Detroit. Proceeds will benefit Karmanos' new Clinical Core Laboratory which will allow Karmanos to operate its own laboratory services to enhance efficiencies and patient care.

"We are delighted to have Kim and Mark Reuss chair this year's event, continuing the unprecedented commitment of GM and the GM Foundation," said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, Karmanos Cancer Institute. "We're fortunate to have such incredible community partners. Thanks to the support of the GM family and all our generous sponsors, Karmanos continues its outstanding research and quality care our patients and their families have come to know and expect, offering better treatments and better outcomes."

In addition to Chevrolet Motor Division, other key sponsors include: Executive Sponsors, Compuware Corporation, Johnson Controls, Lil and Alex Erdeljan and Quicken Loans; Entertainment Sponsor, Credit Union ONE; Dinner Sponsors, AVL Americas, Becker Ventures, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Kenwal Steel Corporation, Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian, Lear Corporation, Leo Burnett & Digitas, The Delphi Foundation, The Suburban Collection and UAW-GM Center for Human Resources; Magazine Sponsor, Hour Detroit and dbusiness; Radio Sponsor, News/Talk 760 WJR; and Television Sponsor, WDIV Local 4.

"Kim and I are honored to chair this year's Annual Dinner and we're committed to helping Karmanos maintain its unmatched reputation for excellence in cancer treatment," said Mark Reuss. "Together with our community, we can ensure that cancer care and research in the metro Detroit area remain at the highest level, and that every patient is given the best chance of surviving this awful disease."

Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities for the dinner should contact Maureen Bender at 313-576-8111 or [email protected]. To reserve tickets, please contact Lisa Koltunchik at 313-576-8106 or [email protected]. You may also visit http://www.karmanos.org/annualdinner. 

About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Located in mid-town Detroit, Michigan, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Caring for nearly 6,000 new patients annually on a budget of $265 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific investigation programs and clinical trials, Karmanos is among the nation's best cancer centers. Through the commitment of 1,000 staff, including nearly 300 physicians and researchers on faculty at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and supported by thousands of volunteer and financial donors, Karmanos strives to prevent, detect and eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the WSU School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., is the Institute's president and chief executive officer. For more information call 1-800-KARMANOS or go to www.karmanos.org.

About the GM Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to deserving American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates.  Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM.  The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2000. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation. 

About Chevrolet Motor Division
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet Motor Division is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SOURCE Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute