Children's Minnesota physician appointed inaugural holder of Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic Endowed Chair in Cancer and Blood Disorders Research

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Minnesota and Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund (PTACF) have announced the appointment of Dr. Kris Ann Schultz as the inaugural holder of the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic Endowed Chair in Cancer and Blood Disorders Research. Children's Minnesota has the largest pediatric cancer and blood disorders program in the Upper Midwest, caring for more than half of children diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders in Minnesota.

Learn about Children's Minnesota's Cancer and Blood Disorders program

Since 1986, the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic has raised almost $6 million for childhood cancer research at Children's Minnesota. Through these efforts, Children's Minnesota has become internationally recognized for collaborative rare tumor and supportive care research which has increased survival rates and improved quality of life for children with cancer in Minnesota and around the world.

"Congratulations to Dr. Schultz on this distinguished honor which will provide consistent financial support for her research and transform the lives of our patients and patients around the world," said Dr. Marc Gorelick, president and CEO of Children's Minnesota. "We are grateful to Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund for their long-standing support. Their generosity helps accelerate Dr. Schultz' research to pursue breakthrough treatments and care for patients."

Dr. Schultz is the first Endowed Chair holder in the Cancer and Blood Disorders program of Children's Minnesota. She is the Principal Investigator for the International Pleuropulmonary Blastoma/DICER1 Registry and the Principal Investigator and founder of the International Ovarian and Testicular Stromal Tumor Registry. Both Registries are based at Children's Minnesota. Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare lung cancer that occurs in young children. Research from Children's Minnesota and other collaborating institutions has shown that PPB is linked to changes in a gene called DICER1. Dr. Schultz leads a global team to discover how to best treat the three main types of PPB and other DICER1-related cancers. She is the principal investigator of an R01 grant funded by the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health focused on the role of circulating tumor DNA in management of PPB.  

"Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund is proud to fund an Endowed Chair in Cancer and Blood Disorders Research at Children's Minnesota and could not be more excited by the appointment of Dr. Schultz for the Chair position," said Kevin Werwie, president of Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund. "Dr. Schultz is a talented clinician, researcher, collaborator and leader and so deserving of this honor. This Endowed Chair ensures the targeted research we have supported through our Pine Tree donor community over the past 35 years continues for many years to come."

Learn about Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic

The Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic was created in 1986 by Ron and Mary Ann Peterson when their 12-year-old daughter Julieann was diagnosed with leukemia. Julieann was treated at Children's Minnesota and survived. Grateful for the care their daughter received at Children's Minnesota, the Peterson's established the mixed doubles tennis tournament with a mission to raise funds and support research to lessen the suffering caused by pediatric cancer.

About Children's Minnesota

Children's Minnesota is the seventh largest pediatric health system in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children's Minnesota serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, 12 primary and specialty care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Children's Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children's hospital.

Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Twitter and Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org.

About Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund (PTACF)

Established in 2018, Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund (PTACF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to continuing the tradition of the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic (celebrating its 35th Anniversary in 2020) and its mission to end pediatric cancer. All proceeds raised through the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic are used to support pediatric oncology research efforts at Children's Minnesota including two rare tumor registries, DICER1 research, preventing cancer treatment side effects and promoting quality of life. Over the past 35 years, the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic has raised almost $6 million for pediatric cancer research at Children's Minnesota. For more details regarding the PTATC and research programs supported by PTACF, please visit ptacf.org.

SOURCE Children's Minnesota

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