It’s been over nine years since I started working at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, or as we like to call it “Fred Hutch” or just “The Hutch”.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center was established in 1975 by Dr. William Hutchinson in honor of his brother, Fred, who died of lung cancer in 1964.
So What’s So Great About Fred Hutch?
So what’s so great about The Hutch? Fred Hutch is truly a world-class research center dedicated to curing and reducing human suffering from cancer, AIDS, and other diseases.
One measure of the strength of a research institute is the awards it receives and many people will agree that the Nobel Prize is one of the highest honors in science. Well, three Nobel laureates (that means they each won a Nobel prize) have walked the halls of The Hutch. They are…
- Donnal Thomas, who won his Nobel prize in 1990 for his ground-breaking work in bone marrow transplant. Donnall died in 2012.
- Lee Hartwell, who was awarded the Nobel prize in 2001 for his work in understanding cell division. Lee was the center’s president for many years and many days could be seen riding his bike to work.
- Linda Buck, who received her prize in 2004 for her pioneering work in the human olfactory system. I remember drinking champagne in her honor the day she was awarded the prize.
Of course, that’s just three of the fine scientists of our institute. Much amazing work happens here every day, including work in basic science, clinical trials, bioinformatics, and cancer prevention. In future posts, I’ll share some of the projects I have had the honor to work on while here.
In the mean time, you can read more about Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at fhcrc.org or wikipedia.
What’s Different About Obliteride?
Okay, let me be frank, the bike ride is just a front to raise money for this amazing institution. (Mind you, that’s not meant to disparage the amazing feats of athleticism that are part of an endurance event like Obliteride. Most participants will train for months to get ready and will endure somewhere between moderate discomfort and extreme pain in riding the event.) I mean that’s true for any event that raises money for a cause. For the most part, however, the event itself is not the important thing: it’s what happens with the money. And, unfortunately, many events have a fairly high overhead, which means that for every dollar you donate, only a portion goes to the organization benefiting from the event. For example, I rode in the Ride to Conquer Cancer four years ago and was saddened to learn afterward that less than 50% of the money I raised made it to the organization. To me, that was a huge disappointment and a reason I have not ridden again for that event.
What is awesome about this event, however, is that a number of sponsors (as well as the participant registration fees) completely cover the expenses of the event. This means that 100% of every donation goes to the benefiting organization: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Let me repeat that: 100% of every dollar you donate goes to the ground-breaking and life-saving research of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Now, that’s something to get excited about.
How Can You Help?
it’s simple, just click this button to donate to Obliteride and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Thank you.
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