NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The leveraged finance and private equity community came together yesterday to raise a record-breaking $2.4 million dollars in the fight again melanoma. With over 1000 attendees representing more than 100 different firms involved in the financial sector, the 8th Annual Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) event helped raise critical funds to advance research through the Melanoma Research Alliance, the world’s largest non-profit funder of melanoma research.
Held each year at the Rockefeller Center’s Summer Garden in New York City, LFFM has become a fixture of the spring social calendar for New York’s finance community. Founded by Jeff Rowbottom of PSP Investments and Brendan Dillon of UBS – both melanoma survivors – LFFM since its founding has raised more than $13 million for MRA’s lifesaving melanoma research program.
“LFFM is special because not only does it support a good cause, it’s also about us as a community coming together to support a good cause,” says LFFM Co-Founder Brendan Dillon. “It’s really developed a life of its own and people not only expect it, they look forward to it.”
All proceeds from the event benefit MRA, founded in 2007 by Debra and Leon Black of Apollo Global Management, under the auspices of the Milken Institute. MRA has accelerated the pace of scientific discovery by directly investing more than $110 million through 300 research grants. Thanks to the generous ongoing support by Debra and Leon, who fund MRA’s operations, every dollar raised for MRA goes directly to melanoma research.
LFFM funding has supported cutting-edge cancer research that has helped patients with all types of cancer live longer, fuller lives. Treatments first pioneered specifically for melanoma are now being used to treat bladder, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and head and neck cancers. They are currently being tested in 30 other cancers.
LFFM was chaired by Clare Bailhé (Apollo MidCap), Brendan Dillon (UBS), Lee Grinberg (Elliott Management), Christina Minnis (Goldman Sachs), George Mueller (KKR), AJ Murphy (Silver Lake) Geoff Oltmans (Silver Lake), Jeff Rowbottom (PSP Investments), Cade Thompson (KKR) & Trevor Watt (Hellman & Friedman).
“The finance community has truly embraced MRA and our mission of curing melanoma,” says MRA President & CEO Michael Kaplan. “Research is changing lives of people facing melanoma and other cancers – and while more needs to be done, our progress to date would not be possible without donors like those at LFFM.”
About Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)
Founded in 2007 under the auspices of the Milken Institute, with the generous support of Debra and Leon Black, the Melanoma Research Alliance exists to accelerate treatment options and find a cure for melanoma. As the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research, it has dedicated over $110 million and leveraged an additional $150 million towards its mission. Through its support, MRA has championed revolutions in immunotherapy, targeted therapies, novel combinations and diagnostics. Due to the ongoing support of its founders, 100 percent of donations to MRA go directly to its melanoma research program. MRA's ability to fund wide-ranging research in melanoma is amplified by unique collaborations and partnerships with individuals, private foundations, and corporations. Visit http://www.CureMelanoma.org for more information.
