Newswise — State legislators aren’t known for their prowess on the basketball court, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing seriously in the annual “Hoops 4 Hope” game. Legislators of all skill levels play in the hotly-contested game that pits the House “Aggies” against the Senate “Lobos.” The legislators enjoy the game, their constituents enjoy the show, and the annual game raises money for the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. This year’s game will take place Thursday, February 11, at Santa Fe High School.
“We are deeply grateful to New Mexico’s legislators for their tremendous and steadfast commitment to fighting cancer in our state,” says Cheryl Willman, MD. Willman serves as CEO and Director of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The ‘Hoops 4 Hope’ event is fun for everyone,” she says, “but it is also an important source of support for the UNM Cancer Center.”
The UNM Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of the state of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute designated cancer center in the state. Its stated mission is to offer all New Mexicans access to world-class cancer care and enable them to benefit from advances in cancer research. Last year as part of that mission, it received the highest designation the NCI awards: Comprehensive designation.
The UNM Cancer Center raises money for cancer research and treatment from national and state grant programs and from private donations. The “Hoops 4 Hope” basketball game has been an important source of private donations for more than 17 years. The last five games have raised a total of more than $86,000.
About the ‘Hoops 4 Hope’ GameThe “Hoops 4 Hope” legislative basketball game will be played Thursday, February 11, 2016, in the Santa Fe High School Gymnasium, 2100 Yucca Street, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Organizers will announce coaches closer to game time. Tip-off is at 7:00 P.M. and tickets are $5. For questions or to purchase tickets in advance, contact the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Development Office at 505-272-4443 or email [email protected].
All proceeds benefit the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. For a video of interviews and highlights from the 2014 game, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWwf3Pu8l78.
About the UNM Comprehensive Cancer CenterThe University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 400-mile radius. One of the premier cancer centers nationwide, the UNM CCC has 128 board-certified oncology physicians, forming New Mexico’s largest cancer care team. It treats about 60 percent of adults and virtually all the children in New Mexico diagnosed with cancer — more than 10,000 people— from every county in the state in more than 135,000 clinic visits each year. Through its partnership with the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance, an “exemplary national model for cancer health care delivery,” the UNM CCC offers access to more than 160 clinical trials to New Mexicans in every part of the state. Annual research funding of more than $72 million supports the UNM CCC’s 132 cancer scientists. Working with partners at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and New Mexico State University, they have developed new diagnostics and drugs for leukemia, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, liver and pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, and melanoma; garnered 33 new patents and 117 patents pending; and launched 13 new biotechnology companies since 2010. Learn more at cancer.unm.edu.
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