The Ron Foley Foundation has raised more than $1 million to fight pancreatic cancer, and programs at Hartford Hospital have now been renamed to honor the Foundation’s support.

Elliot Joseph was presented with a plaque honoring him as honorary chair of the 7th annual Ron’s Run for the Roses. From left: Hartford Hospital President and CEO Elliot Joseph; Ron Foley Foundation President Barbara Foley; Ron Foley Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Loughran; Andy Salner, MD, director, the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital. Submitted photo

Submitted by Jennifer Loughran, Ron Foley Foundation

Major milestones and successes are being celebrated at the Ron Foley Foundation, a West Hartford-based non-profit that raises funds for medical research for pancreatic cancer, promotes public awareness and education about this deadly disease and provides direct financial aid to those suffering from pancreatic cancer.

The Foundation was established in 2010 in memory of Ron Foley of West Hartford, a respected business leader in the community and a former Travelers executive, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2005. Barbara Foley, the Foundation’s President and Ron’s widow, leads this volunteer-based organization.

To accomplish its mission of raising funds and awareness, the Foundation seeks donations from major corporations, small businesses, individual donors, and grants. A majority of the Foundation’s fundraising is through its keystone event Ron’s Run for the Roses, an afternoon gala held on Kentucky Derby Day.

The 7^th annual Ron’s Run for the Roses was held on May 2, 2015, at Folly Farm in Simsbury, with 475 people in attendance, raising more than $265,000.

According to Foley, “The record-breaking donations we received over the past six months have helped us reach a major goal and milestone. This year, with the support of so many dedicated patrons, our Foundation has successfully raised more than $1,000,000 since its inception.”

At this year’s Ron’s Run for the Roses, the Foundation was privileged to have Bob Patricelli as one of its event Honorary Chairs. Patricelli is the founder, chairman, and CEO at Women’s Health USA in Avon and also owner of Folly Farm. In his remarks at the event, Patricelli noted that Folly Farm would be celebrating its 100^th anniversary in five years.

In honor of the Farm’s centennial, Patricelli has pledged $50,000 to the Ron Foley Foundation ($10,000 annually for the next five years) through the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation. “We were overwhelmed by this generous show of support.” said Foley. “This is over and above the role Folly Farm has played over the years in making Ron’s Run for the Roses truly spectacular. I can’t thank Bob, his family, and all the people of Folly Farm enough.”

The Foundation is also very pleased to announce that Hartford Hospital has re-named the pancreatic cancer programs and services supported by the Foundation as “The Ron Foley Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research, Screening and Education Program at Hartford Hospital”. These programs include the Pancreatic Cyst Registry, the annual Pancreatic Cancer Symposium for medical professionals and the popular “Ask the Experts” lecture series for the general public.

Pancreatic cancer is the 4^th leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The American Cancer Society’s 2015 estimates report that about 48,960 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and of those about 40,560 will die from this awful disease. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all of the major cancers – 94% of patients will die within five years of diagnosis and only 6% will survive more than five years. 74% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis.

For more information about the Foundation, please contact them at 860-521-0500, [email protected] or visit their website www.ronsrun.org. The Foundation’s office is at 1000 Farmington Avenue, Suite 108A, West Hartford, CT 06107.