Hope & Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting children with cancer and blood disorders in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut Tri-State area. The organization provides funding for research and clinical care at pediatric cancer centers across the region.
Though it was officially incorporated in 2002, [1] the Hope & Heroes name dates back to 1996, when sportswriter Mike Lupica wrote [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] about the friendship between patient Beth Maria and Tino Martinez who was then a first baseman for the New York Yankees. The first article appeared on the front page of the New York Daily News on June 22, 1997, with the headline "Hope & Heroes". Michael Weiner, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Oncology at CUMC, adopted the name as part of his efforts to attract funding for pediatric cancer and blood disorder programs that needed philanthropic support.
Hope & Heroes is a registered charitable nonprofit organization that raises funds to support pediatric clinical care, medical research, and patient support programs. Fundraising activities include annual giving campaigns, special events, and donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. Recurring fundraising events include the Hope & Heroes Annual Golf Tournament and Annual Gala. The organization also conducts outreach and awareness activities throughout the year, including during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
Hope & Heroes provides funding for a range of programs supporting pediatric patients and families. These include integrative therapy services, arts-in-medicine initiatives, psychosocial support programs, and survivor wellness efforts.
The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer incorporates complementary therapies alongside conventional cancer treatment. Services offered include acupressure, acupuncture, massage therapy, nutritional counseling, yoga, and other supportive treatments. These services are provided at no cost to patients and are supported through philanthropic funding.
The Alfano Family Arts in Medicine Studio (AIM) program was established in 2004 at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and integrates creative arts into the hospital setting to support patients, families, and healthcare staff during treatment.
The Valerie Fund Psychosocial Program provides psychological and academic support services to pediatric patients, families, and siblings, including individual therapy, group therapy, and child life services.
Survivor Wellness programs focus on long-term health monitoring and lifestyle education for individuals who have completed cancer treatment.
The Hope & Heroes Research Initiative (HHRI) is a collaborative effort among pediatric cancer centers in the Tri-State region. The initiative supports physician-scientists conducting research in pediatric oncology, hematology, genetics, immunology, stem cell transplantation, and related fields.
Research areas supported by Hope & Heroes have included early-phase clinical trials, cognitive interventions for childhood cancer survivors, studies involving pediatric oncology patients and infectious disease prevention, and research focused on pediatric brain tumors.
Currently supported research initiatives have included developmental therapeutics, precision medicine programs utilizing genomic analysis, international pediatric nutrition programs, and integrative health education initiatives.