Roswell Park Receives $1 Million Gift from The 11 Day Power Play

• Award to focus on team science at Roswell Park
• Continues 8+ years of support from The 11 Day Power Play
• Inaugural grant will be awarded to a Roswell Park team in November 2024

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The 11 Day Power Play presented Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center with a $1 million gift to fuel new, innovative cancer research.

Since the first event in 2017, The 11 Day Power Play has raised $11 million, contributing $6 million to support cancer research and wellness programs at Roswell Park. Each year, the event brings the hockey community together for 11 days of non-stop games.

"Team science brings together investigators who are advancing scientific research that has the potential to save lives and change the way cancer is treated. The funding would not be possible without the dedicated support of The 11 Day Power Play organization," says Dr. Candace Johnson, President and CEO of Roswell Park. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with The 11 Day Power Play and are grateful for their commitment to finding a cure for cancer."

Past support from The 11 Day Power Play has created The 11 Day Power Play Cancer Resource Center, which provides compassionate quality-of-life care for patients and caregivers; named The 11 Day Power Play Immunotherapy Labs, led by Deputy Director Dr. Renier Brentjens to develop groundbreaking immunotherapy and cell therapy treatments; and several research grants and patient wellness programs.

"It's a natural fit for our organization, with an event rooted in teams, to support this unique opportunity to fuel team science at Roswell Park," says Amy Lesakowski, cancer survivor and co-founder of The 11 Day Power Play, Inc. "As a cancer survivor myself, I have first-hand experience in how innovative cancer treatment and clinical trials save lives. I truly believe that I would not be here today if it weren't for Roswell Park and I hope that the team science award fuels the next cancer breakthrough to save more lives like mine."

This new award will bring together researchers and scientists from different departments at Roswell Park to study new ways to treat, diagnose and even cure cancer. Requests for applications opened to Roswell Park cancer researchers and scientists this summer. The inaugural The 11 Day Power Play Team Science Award recipient will be announced in November at a reception at Roswell Park.

To participate in or support the 2025 community shift of The 11 Day Power Play, visit www.11daypowerplay.com.

###