FRED’S TEAM RAISES OVER $8.5 MILLION FOR CANCER RESEARCH IN RECORD-BREAKING YEAR

New York, NY, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fred’s Team, the official running program of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), proudly announces another record-breaking year of fundraising in support of MSK’s mission of ending cancer for life. In 2024, Fred’s Team runners and donors raised $8,529,723 to accelerate life-changing cancer research at MSK, shattering the program’s single-season fundraising record for the fourth consecutive year. 100% of the funds raised will go directly to MSK to help doctors and researchers tackle the biggest questions in cancer science. 

Support from Fred’s Team is enabling medical oncologists like Sarat Chandarlapaty, MD, PhD, and his lab to investigate how cancer disrupts certain signaling pathways that regulate cell growth in the body. Their work is focused on unlocking more effective long-term therapies for breast cancer. 

“We’ve made huge strides in how we treat many different types of breast cancer since I began my career 20 years ago,” said Dr. Chandarlapaty, the Naddisy Foundation Chair in Breast Cancer Research at MSK. “Fred’s Team funding is the inspiration for our research, helping us be relentless in the face of a disease that is relentless.”  

The 2024 Fred’s Team roster included over 1,000 runners — nearly 100 of whom were MSK doctors, nurses, and staff — showcasing the MSK community’s unwavering commitment to advancing cancer research. The roster also featured Academy Award® winner Jennifer Connelly, who ran her first-ever marathon with Fred’s Team and dedicated her miles to the doctors of MSK. 

Fred’s Team introduced a new role for its 2024 season: the Mile 17 Cheer Captain at the TCS New York City Marathon. The inaugural captain was Scarlett James, a former patient of MSK Kids, MSK’s pediatric cancer program. She led the Fred’s Team cheer section at Mile 17, just outside MSK’s Arnold and Marie Schwartz Cancer Research Building — where many of the breakthroughs funded by Fred’s Team begin.  

One of the most memorable moments of the 2024 season featured MSK nurse and Fred’s Team participant Delaney Nolan, RN. Just days before she was set to run the United Airlines NYC Half for the first time, Delaney was surprised by Fred’s Team with the same bib number that her father, who died in 2021, wore for his first half-marathon. “My dad was an avid runner, and so being able to follow in his footsteps and take on running makes me feel more connected to him,” she said.  

Founded in 1995 to honor New York City Marathon co-founder and MSK patient Fred Lebow, Fred’s Team has grown from a local fundraising effort into a global community of athletes and supporters committed to fighting cancer. 

“As an official charity partner, Fred’s Team has been one of the longest supporters of New York Road Runners, the producer of the TCS New York City Marathon and the United Airlines NYC Half, and we are thrilled to see them surpass their fundraising goals,” said Christine Burke, New York Road Runner’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Their commitment to putting purpose behind their miles exemplifies our vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running, and the impact they have on the lives of those battling cancer is immeasurable.” 

Official Fred’s Team events include the TCS New York City Marathon, United Airlines NYC Half, TCS London Marathon, and BMW Berlin Marathon. Runners also take on 5Ks, half-marathons, marathons, triathlons, and other races around the world. Fred’s Team continues to see a rise in fundraising across all of its events, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to imagining a world without cancer for patients everywhere. Year after year, runners worldwide join Fred’s Team to run for cancer research and make a difference beyond the finish line.  

MORE INFORMATION  
About Fred’s Team  
Fred’s Team, the official running program of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), gives every runner the opportunity to add more meaning to their miles by raising money for lifesaving cancer research at MSK. Fred’s Team was named in honor of running legend and co-founder of the New York City Marathon Fred Lebow, who underwent treatment for brain cancer at MSK in 1991. 100% of the money raised goes directly into MSK labs, where groundbreaking discoveries are making a real difference for people around the world. Official events include the TCS New York City Marathon, United Airlines NYC Half, TCS London Marathon, and BMW Berlin Marathon. For additional information and to donate, visit www.fredsteam.org and follow Fred’s Team on Facebook, X, and Instagram.   
 
About Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center   
The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe. One of the world’s most respected comprehensive centers devoted exclusively to cancer, we have been recognized as one of the top two cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years. www.mskcc.org