Victoria's Secret Launches Global Fund To Accelerate Innovation In Cancer Research For Women, By Women

In Partnership with Pelotonia and the American Association for Cancer Research, Scientific Achievement Awards and Cancer Research Grants for Women Scientists Will Address Funding and Research Inequities

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Victoria's Secret

Nov 30, 2021, 08:05 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Victoria's Secret and impact partner, Pelotonia, today announced the launch of the new Global Fund for Women's Cancers, established to accelerate innovation in cancer research for women, by women. This Fund is the brand's inaugural purpose initiative as an independent company, tying into its vision to be the world's leading advocate for women.

To launch the program, Victoria's Secret will present five female cancer researchers with scientific achievement awards of $100,000 each to recognize and further their outstanding contributions to the field of women's cancers. Victoria's Secret established The Fund to make a groundbreaking investment designed to improve outcomes specifically for women's cancers, which are historically underfunded and understudied. Nominations for these five meritorious awards will be accepted and reviewed by a committee of global cancer research experts overseen by The Fund's scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

"The Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers and this new initiative represent a substantial investment in not only the future of cancer research, but also the recognition of quintessential female cancer researchers who have pioneered significant advancements in all areas of cancer research, treatment and prevention of breast and gynecologic cancers," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD, co-chair of The Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers Scientific Advisory Committee and chief executive officer of the AACR.

In addition to the five inaugural scientific achievement awards to be announced during the 2022 AACR Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Victoria's Secret, Pelotonia and the AACR will collaborate to establish additional cancer research grant programs in 2022 and 2023. These grants will provide funding for mid-level and early-stage female investigators working worldwide to conduct innovative cancer research in the field of women's cancers. In total, The Fund will distribute funding to at least 20 female cancer researchers. The grantees will be invited to join a unique network, along with the AACR-led Scientific Advisory Committee, and participate in virtual and in-person engagement activities designed to foster communication and collaboration amongst all grant recipients.

"By initiating funding to female researchers, who are vastly underrepresented in the field of cancer research, The Fund will be transformational to the development and retention of female cancer researchers," said Electra Paskett, PhD, Cancer Survivor, Co-Chair of The Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers Scientific Advisory Committee and Director, Center for Cancer Health Equity at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James.

Importantly, this initiative will focus on the understanding, prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of women's cancers, with a goal of eliminating cancer health disparities and improving patient outcomes. In 2020 alone, more than 9.23 million women worldwide were diagnosed with cancer, a number that is expected to rise to 10.3 million women by 2025.

"Women's cancers affect millions of women worldwide, yet this field is historically under-resourced, and we are proud to launch The Fund to support the female scientists doing this critically important work," said Christy Tostevin, senior vice president of communications and community relations at Victoria's Secret. "We have long supported cancer research, but this particular program – accelerating innovation in cancer research for women, by women – is a tangible way we're supporting our brand's mission to create positive change for women."

For more information, please visit pelotonia.org/vsfund.

About Victoria's Secret:
Victoria's Secret (NYSE: VSCO) is the world's largest intimates specialty retailer offering a wide assortment of modern, fashion-inspired collections including signature bras, panties, lingerie, casual sleepwear and athleisure, as well as award-winning prestige fragrances and body care. With nearly 1,400 retail stores worldwide and a predominately female workforce of more than 25,000, Victoria's Secret boasts the largest team of specialty trained bra fit experts worldwide. Victoria's Secret is committed to inspiring women around the world with products and experiences that uplift and champion them and their journey while creating lifelong relationships and advocating for positive change.

About Pelotonia:
Pelotonia exists to engage, inspire, and challenge a community committed to change the world by accelerating innovative cancer research. Since its founding in 2008, Pelotonia has raised over $236 million for cancer research which has been invested in high-impact breakthroughs in prevention, diagnostics and treatment, and recently, the launch of The Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology. Thanks to its generous funding partners, Pelotonia is able to direct 100 percent of every community-raised dollar to cancer research. For more information, visit pelotonia.org.

About the American Association for Cancer Research:
Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes 49,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 126 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops—the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting, with more than 74,000 attendees for the 2020 virtual meetings and more than 22,500 attendees for past in-person meetings. In addition, the AACR publishes 10 prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.

SOURCE Victoria's Secret