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Prevent Cancer Foundation
Carolyn R. Aldigé founded the Prevent Cancer Foundation in 1985, establishing a focused mission that no other U.S. nonprofit replicates: funding exclusively...
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Carolyn R. Aldigé founded the Prevent Cancer Foundation in 1985, establishing a focused mission that no other U.S. nonprofit replicates: funding exclusively cancer prevention and early detection. The foundation operates from Alexandria, Virginia, under CEO Jody Hoyos and Board Chair Diane M. Casey-Landry. Its mandate sidesteps cancer treatment research entirely, instead directing resources toward stopping cancer before it starts or catching it when intervention is still decisive. The foundation's strategy spans research grants, public education, and community outreach. It has deployed over $20 million into research, targeting innovative technologies that detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening. Grant-making supports academic and clinical projects, while public campaigns — such as the "Get Body Checked Against Cancer" initiative with AstraZeneca — push preventive screening uptake. The foundation also partners with the American Lung Association on thoracic CT screening implementation. Its fundraising model is unusual: the long-term partnership with gaming marathon organizer Games Done Quick generates significant community-driven revenue through events like Awesome Games Done Quick. Governance sits with a board chaired by Diane M. Casey-Landry, founder of DCL Banking Advisors, and includes professionals linked to the National Association of Corporate Directors. The foundation holds deferred compensation plan assets and interests in remainder trusts, though it discloses no endowment corpus publicly. In addition to its research and campaign work, it supports technical transfer fellowships with the Union for International Cancer Control, extending its reach into global capacity-building for prevention programs. The foundation's structure as a single-issue grantmaker — neither a broad cancer charity nor a treatment-focused funder — creates a distinct posture in the nonprofit landscape. Its funding concentrates on a narrow slice of the oncology ecosystem: screening technology, biomarker validation, and public-health behavior change. This specialization attracts partners like AstraZeneca for disease-specific campaigns and enables sustained collaborations with advocacy groups such as the American Lung Association, forming a coalition-style operating model uncommon among disease-focused foundations.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1985
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Alexandria
Corporate office
333 John Carlyle Street, Suite 635, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Principals
Jody Hoyos
Chief Executive Officer
Carolyn R. Aldigé
Founder
Diane M. Casey-Landry
Chairwoman of the Board
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does the Prevent Cancer Foundation differ from other cancer-focused nonprofits?
It is the only U.S.-based nonprofit solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. Major cancer charities typically fund treatment research, patient support, and broad-spectrum science. The Prevent Cancer Foundation concentrates its grants on early-detection technologies, screening programs, and public education campaigns designed to stop cancer before it advances. This narrow mandate shapes every partnership and funding decision.
How does the foundation fund its operations and grant-making?
Revenue comes from individual donations, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events. Its most distinctive fundraising channel is the long-standing collaboration with Games Done Quick, which runs video-game speedrunning marathons such as Awesome Games Done Quick to raise millions of dollars. The foundation also holds deferred compensation plan assets and interests in remainder trusts, though it does not publicly disclose a total endowment figure.
What does the foundation's research funding support specifically?
It has directed $20 million toward research in innovative cancer detection technologies and advancement of multi-cancer screening. Grants typically back academic and clinical projects that develop or validate early-detection tools, biomarker panels, and imaging advances. The foundation does not fund treatment trials or basic cancer biology research.
Who is involved in leading the Prevent Cancer Foundation?
Jody Hoyos serves as Chief Executive Officer. The founder, Carolyn R. Aldigé, previously held the CEO role. Diane M. Casey-Landry, founder of DCL Banking Advisors, chairs the board of directors. The board also includes members with affiliations to the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Does the foundation engage in direct advocacy or policy work?
Yes, the foundation's model includes advocacy alongside research, education, and outreach. It works to increase access to cancer screening and promote preventive health policies. Specific advocacy efforts include partnership with the American Lung Association on thoracic CT screening implementation and public campaigns like 'Get Body Checked Against Cancer' with AstraZeneca.
What kinds of partners does the Prevent Cancer Foundation work with?
Partners span corporate, nonprofit, and global health sectors. Key collaborators include AstraZeneca for public screening campaigns, the American Lung Association for lung-cancer screening initiatives, Games Done Quick for fundraising, and the Union for International Cancer Control for technical transfer fellowships. These partnerships extend the foundation's reach without expanding its internal headcount.
What is the foundation's geographic focus?
Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the foundation's primary operations and grant-making focus on the United States. Through its collaboration with the Union for International Cancer Control on technical transfer fellowships, it maintains a limited global capacity-building presence aimed at disseminating prevention and early-detection expertise internationally.
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