Astellas Pharma US, Inc. (“Astellas”) today announced it has awarded $200,000 in total grants and resources to winners of the fourth annual C3 (Changing Cancer Care) Prize, a challenge that funds the best ideas beyond medicine to improve cancer care for patients, caregivers and their loved ones.
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NORTHBROOK, Ill., Oct. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma US, Inc. ("Astellas") today announced it has awarded $200,000 in total grants and resources to winners of the fourth annual C3 (Changing Cancer Care) Prize, a challenge that funds the best ideas beyond medicine to improve cancer care for patients, caregivers and their loved ones. Audrey Guth, founder of Nanny Angel Network in Toronto, Canada, was chosen as the 2019 Grand Prize winner.
With the funds from the C3 Prize, Guth intends to expand the reach and impact of Nanny Angel Network, which trains volunteers to care for children whose mothers have cancer. Guth, a cancer survivor and mother of four, established the Nanny Angel Network in 2009 after she found a gap in healthcare and social services for mothers with cancer and their children. The program provides stability, normalcy, and support during a challenging time. "Moms, particularly in underserved populations, are often forced to choose between caring for their children and going for treatment, and such a serious diagnosis can leave kids feeling sad, scared and anxious," Guth said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to expand the reach and impact of Nanny Angel Network as we seek to ease the burden of living with cancer for families." Three finalists pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, including celebrity entrepreneur and cancer activist Bill Rancic and other leaders in innovation, healthcare and business, during a live pitch event in New York on October 25, 2019. Leah Werry, Kingston Champion of Nanny Angel Network, pitched on Guth's behalf. "As the husband of a cancer survivor, a father and a businessman, it is an honor to help select the winning idea and put a spotlight on life-changing cancer care solutions," Rancic said. "This winning idea is putting the focus on families and providing critical stability for families throughout the ups and downs of a cancer journey." This year's challenge awarded four prizes totaling $200,000 in funds (one Grand Prize of $100,000, two $45,000 Innovation Prizes, and one Emerging Ideas Prize of $10,000). Along with the funding, all winners will have the opportunity to attend TEDMED 2020 as TEDMED Scholars, joining a unique, multidisciplinary community of leading thinkers and doers from across the landscape of health, medicine, and scientific innovation. The winners also will receive a yearlong complimentary membership to MATTER, a global healthcare startup incubator, community nexus and corporate innovation accelerator. The 2019 Innovation Prize winners are:
This year, Astellas introduced a new Emerging Ideas Prize to recognize ideas that need additional cultivation before implementation. Abby Westerman of b-present Foundation was selected for this prize and also presented at the live pitch event. Westerman plans to use the Emerging Ideas Prize to extend the reach of b-there, a web-based patient and supporter connection tool to lower the barrier for young adults with cancer to stay connected with friends, offering a quick, easy, low-stress way to control visits, convey status updates, and request needed items. "Astellas is extremely proud to help advance the inspiring ideas from this year's winners, who are actively working to transform what it means to live with a cancer diagnosis, and improve the patient experience throughout the cancer journey," said Mark Reisenauer, senior vice president, Oncology Business Unit at Astellas. For more information, visit www.C3Prize.com. About the Astellas Oncology C3 Prize About Astellas About TEDMED About MATTER
SOURCE Astellas Pharma US, Inc. |
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