The Broach Foundation For Brain Cancer Research

The Broach Foundation For Brain Cancer Research is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, treatment, and cure of brain cancer. Located in Houston, TX, the foundation actively works to fund innovative and impactful research initiatives.

Mission and Activities

The foundation's mission is to overcome the significant challenges posed by brain cancer, particularly in developing effective treatments for common forms like glioblastoma. Glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer in adults, presents a dire prognosis with five-year survival rates generally falling below 10%[1]. To address this urgent need, The Broach Foundation supports research that can lead to near-term benefits for patients.

Funding and Impact

To date, the foundation has contributed over $6,500,000 to brain cancer research[1]. Their efforts are particularly critical given the underfunding of brain cancer research. Public funding bodies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) support a small fraction of proposed grants, typically less than 10%, which necessitates initial research and data collection to be privately funded[1]. This preliminary funding enables projects to become eligible for subsequent NIH grants, thereby leveraging more extensive support for promising research initiatives.

Recognition and Evaluation

The Broach Foundation has been evaluated by Charity Navigator, receiving a 3/4 Star rating[3]. This indicates a level of transparency and operational efficiency, though also suggests areas for potential improvement in governance or financial management.

Contributions to the Field

One of the notable contributions of The Broach Foundation includes directing grants towards innovative clinical trials, such as those led by researchers like Lang, which focus on novel treatments like viral smart bombs for cancer therapy[2]. These efforts align with the foundation's goal of driving progress in a field where progress is both urgent and challenging.