- To mark October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, WTA Foundation launches fifth ACEing Cancer by Hologic campaign
- The campaign financially supports cancer research and nonprofits dedicated to fighting cancers that affect women
- To support the campaign, WTA Legends and cancer survivors, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, visit The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- WTA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the WTA Tour, is continuing its mission to empower women with a targeted ACEing Cancer campaign throughout October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Throughout the month, WTA Foundation and Hologic, a pioneer of 3D Mammography and the WTA’s official health and equality partner, will highlight preventive and educational health initiatives and provide financial support to researchers and nonprofits dedicated to fighting cancers that affect women.
To kick off the month, WTA Foundation and the American Cancer Society brought WTA Legends and cancer survivors, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert to tour cancer research laboratories at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers devoted exclusively to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. MD Anderson’s mission is to eliminate cancer through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, as well as education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.
During their visit at MD Anderson, Navratilova and Evert presented a donation from funds raised through the ACEing Cancer campaign on behalf of the WTA and Hologic, to Dr. Rachel Dittmar for her research project, “Delineating Multi-Organ Metastasis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer with Single Cell Genomics.”
“Receiving this award was one of the happiest moments in my life,” said Dr. Dittmar, postdoctoral fellow, Systems Biology, at MD Anderson. “It is especially meaningful to me as I honor the memories of my mother and grandmother, who were both lost too young to cancer. I am extremely grateful for the generous support of the WTA Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Funds like this will help advance groundbreaking cancer research.
Said Navratilova ahead of the visit: “With the WTA Foundation’s ACEing Cancer by Hologic campaign, we are empowering women through awareness and early detection. This kind of initiative really makes a difference for women. We are so lucky with new strategies and new solutions; new research allows you to nip it in the bud. We were both lucky that we caught it early.”
A portion of the proceeds from the 2024 WTA Foundation ACEing Cancer by Hologic campaign will co-fund an American Cancer Society grant for a researcher like Dr. Dittmar with WTA Foundation partner, Cancer Research Racquet. The remaining funds will be distributed to nonprofits in WTA communities worldwide campaign such as The Promise Fund and Baptist Health Cancer Care in Miami, Cruz Rosa in Guadalajara, Women’s Health Collective Canada in Toronto and many more who received support during the 2024 season.
“WTA Foundation and Hologic for the fifth year have embarked upon the ACEing Cancer by Hologic fundraising campaign where Hologic makes a donation for every ace served in singles competition at 27 WTA 1000 and WTA 500 tournaments around the world culminating at the WTA Finals in Riyadh,” WTA Foundation Executive Director Ann Austin said. “Seeing the life-changing work done at MD Anderson was such an inspiring way to kick off this important month, and we look forward to continuing to do our part to fight this disease which has affected so many in our WTA family.”
To learn more about the ACEing Cancer initiative including how to make a donation, visit wtatennis.com/aceingcancer.
To learn more about the WTA Foundation, visit wta.foundation.
