Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse, Inc. (WBCS) began with a woman’s passion to defeat breast cancer. Founded in 1998 as an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by then-recent survivor, Nancé Kinney, its mission from the beginning has been to support early-stage breast cancer research. Kinney’s father was later diagnosed with prostate cancer, and WBCS soon added prostate cancer research as a second important research focus.
Kinney, along with her friends and her friends’ friends, determined that a Showhouse, where the rooms and landscape would be designed =by local interior and exterior designers, would
be a good fundraising venue. Neighbors, friends and designers,
each a volunteer, stepped in to help with the first WBCS Showhouse.
Early-stage breast cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCWCC) began with WBCS’s $42,000 donation – the net
income from the 1998 Showhouse for a Cure.
Kinney, through her friends and their connections, was able to reach out to the Medical College’s leadership about research funding opportunities. What evolved is a robust and impactful partnership between WBCS and MCWCC. All WBCS research funds continue to be invested at MCWCC, staying in southeastern Wisconsin. MCWCC researchers and leadership collaborated with WBCS to create the WBCS Scientific Review Committee which consists of MCW researchers, practicing clinicians, WBCS board members and lay persons.
Since research findings are available to researchers worldwide, sharing discoveries made in breast cancer or prostate cancer research can shed light on the confounding problems of other cancers, due to the cross-pollination of ideas among scientists.
Growing and Growing
WBCS has grown significantly over the years. The excitement and camaraderie among WBCS sponsors, donors, volunteers and designers coming together for a common purpose was evident from the beginning in the many ideas and energy given to create fundraising events during the first Showhouse for a Cure.
Foundational to WBCS’s mission from an idea to a success story has been the army of committed volunteers who often are either survivors or persons who’ve been touched by another’s breast cancer or prostate cancer diagnosis.
From the beginning, the Showhouse for a Cure has been the organization’s signature event. The goal has been for the Showhouse to be as exciting and inviting each year as it was the first year. Some of the many ideas that we have incorporated are:
• The annual Gala attendees are given a sneak preview of the house the night before it opens.
• On Designer Sunday, visitors meet the Showhouse designers in their redesigned spaces, answering questions about their passion and inspiration.
• Evening hours were added, making tours of the house more available
• Each year, the Showhouse Boutique includes unique collections of unusual and handcrafted items.
Stand-alone fundraising events were added following the first Showhouse. Increased revenue enabled increased research funding.
Tee Up for a Cure, WBCS’s popular golf event, has brought new donors to the table who otherwise might not have been aware of the organization’s successful research mission.
The Pinktacular Salute to Survivors is a heartwarming luncheon event that features breast cancer and prostate cancer survivors walking the runway with a special support person.
A newer fundraiser is the WBCS Holiday Wine Pull that provides a convenient and festive way to send gifts or to order wine for the holidays. WBCS board members and volunteers deliver orders right to the intended recipient.
These very popular friend-raising and fundraising events have together brought hope, healing, and—most importantly—true advancements in personalized treatment and survivorship.
And Growing Some More
WBCS’s growing fundraising success has provided significant opportunities to expand its unique partnership with MCWCC. While continuing to fund research projects at a molecular level, the time came when WBCS accepted an invitation offered by MCW to commit resources to fund its first endowed professorship for breast cancer research.
Named endowments are an invaluable recruitment tool used by academic institutions to attract outstanding candidates to its faculty. In 2015, Hallgeir Rui, MD, PhD, was successfully recruited as the Inaugural WBCS Breast Cancer Research Professor. Dr. Rui was quickly recognized as a collaborative leader and scientist, as well as an important mentor to junior faculty.
Fortuitously, Dr. Rui’s spouse, Marja Nevalainen, MD, PhD, was also a physician scientist—and, a prostate cancer research expert. Dr. Nevalainen was recruited to MCW at the same time as Dr. Rui and, along with other administrative responsibilities, became Co-Director of the Prostate Cancer Center of Excellence within the MCW Cancer Center.
search, WBCS again accepted the challenge. Once the second endowment was fulfilled, Dr. Nevalainen was named the Inaugural WBCS Prostate Cancer Research Professor. While they have recently been recruited away, Drs. Rui and Nevalainen left an indelible mark in advancing breast cancer and prostate cancer research and treatment at MCW. In his 2022 Progress Report to WBCS, Dr. Rui observed:
“The generous funds raised by the dedicated WBCS members continue to support the thriving breast cancer and prostate cancer research programs at MCW. Investigators are spending the funds wisely for maximum research impact and progress, and the work leads to further research support from federal and foundation sources. Hope, optimism and excitement continue to flourish.”
That hope, optimism and excitement continue to flourish, as WBCS welcomes respected, collaborative senior scientist Todd W. Miller, PhD, as the current WBCS Breast Cancer Research Professor at MCWCC.
Twenty-Six Years Later– The Impact of Hope
The outstanding advancements resulting from its two WBCS-funded endowed professorships gave confidence to WBCS to consider a new endowment as it sought to remain impactful and relevant in funding research at MCWCC, now and in the future.
Discussions were held with MCW leadership and Cancer Center Director, Gustavo Leone, PhD, to establish the fund as an incentive to kick start research into promising new directions, that otherwise might be lost.
On April 5, 2024, MCW and WBCS formally established the WBCS Innovative Research Fund. Its purpose is to ensure an annual stream of income to inspire MCWCC scientists to develop promising ideas into proposals for review and approval by MCWCC external and internal peer experts.
Establishing the new fund is an important stewardship decision by the WBCS board of directors to acknowledge and honor the intent of generous WBCS donors who invest in our mission. When fully funded, it will provide a sustainable source of funding for the critical early-stage research that is foundational to “aha!” research moments and important new discoveries. WBCS’s goal is to complete the endowment in 2025.
WBCS has invested $7.44 million in the last 26 years. The return on that investment from national awards earned by researchers because of WBCS’s early support is currently $137.6 million. From its beginning in 1998, WBCS’s measurable strong impact on research has reached $145.04 million. Each WBCS dollar becomes $18 in MCWCC research that brings better treatments, increased survival and advances in personalized medicine that hold promise for defeating these two diseases.
This article is from the
EY September 2024 Issue