EHE International donates window display to the DeGregorio Family Foundation supporting research & education for stomach and esophageal cancer

The November 2014 EHE International window in Rockefeller Center will bring public awareness to the need for research funding for two of the world's deadliest cancers.

News provided by

DeGregorio Family Foundation

Nov 03, 2014, 11:31 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Stomach and Esophageal Cancers are among the fastest growing, deadliest, and most underfunded cancers in the United States. EHE International's generous donation of their window display at 10 Rockefeller Center will increase awareness of these deadly diseases and the need for funding research into the causes, prevention and treatment of these cancers.

Early detection is key. Treatment options offer optimistic results when discovered during early stages. The DeGregorio Family Foundation raises money and awards grants funding research for promising scientists with new ideas. Collaborative innovation will make tremendous strides in eradicating these deadly diseases. "Our donation to the Degregorio Family Foundation will increase their visibility, thus making it easier to fundraise for research and education for stomach and esophageal cancer," says Deborah McKeever, President of EHE International.

"These diseases are most often caught in late stages when the prognosis is extremely grim. The research DFF funds is designed to help improve earlier diagnosis and develop novel treatment options" said Lynn DeGregorio. "Private funding is imperative to sway the enormous global impact of these deadly diseases."

Together, more than 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with an upper GI malignancy annually. These are aggressive cancers with high mortality rates. Only 26% of gastric and 21% of esophageal cancers are diagnosed in operable stages, putting them both in the top 5 tumor types for late diagnosis (along with pancreatic, lung, and ovarian). Patients diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer have an 18% or 28% chance, respectively, of living 5 years after diagnosis. Stomach and esophageal cancers rank among the lowest of the major cancer types in terms of annual dollars dedicated towards research and development. The DeGregorio Family Foundation strives to focus attention on these deadly diseases and to solicit donations to fight and eradicate them.

As doctors and surgeons continue to see an increased number of patients with earlier stage stomach and esophageal cancer, the DeGregorio Family Foundation's funding of research grants is helping to turn the facts about these deadly diseases into fiction.

About The DeGregorio Family Foundation

The DeGregorio Family Foundation for Stomach and Esophageal Cancer Research & Education (DFF) seeks to promote and facilitate education and collaborative research on the pathogenesis, early diagnostic, and treatment of Upper Gastrointestinal Malignancies.

DFF was founded in 2006 by Lynn DeGregorio after her sister, and tenth member of her family, succumbed to stomach cancer and was found to have possessed a rare gene that causes the disease and other common cancers. Lynn and her surviving sibling, who both tested negative for the gene, created the foundation to raise funds for research on the hereditary and non-hereditary causes of stomach and esophageal cancers.

Since inception, DFF has awarded more than $1.5 million in research grants. Each year $250,000 in grants are awarded to promising researchers and clinical scientists worldwide whose work can make meaningful strides in gastric and esophageal cancer research. For more information, please visit www.degregorio.org or call 212-616-7721.

About EHE International

EHE International is celebrating over 100 years as the recognized leader in preventive medicine with the release of a new book, 100 Years of Preventive Health: The History of EHE International. Established in 1913, EHE International is America's largest and most experienced preventive medicine specialist and the preferred choice among employers for the prevention and early detection of disease and associated risk factors. For more information, contact EHE International, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 4^th Floor, New York, New York 10020; 212.332.3700; visit www.eheintl.com.

SOURCE DeGregorio Family Foundation