Moffitt Cancer Center Receives $10 Million from It Works! Founder to Establish Research Center for Rare Blood Cancer
TAMPA, Fla. — The family of It Works! founder Mark Pentecost has donated $10 million to Moffitt Cancer Center to establish a research center dedicated to finding a cure for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
Mark and Cindy Pentecost became supporters of the cancer center after he received life-changing treatment for his own battle with the rare blood cancer. In 2018, the Pentecost family gave $3 million to help fund new innovations in myeloma research.
The Pentecost Family Foundation’s latest gift is aimed at finding a cure for multiple myeloma and establishing a new standard of care for patients. The newly formed Pentecost Family Myeloma Research Center at Moffitt will facilitate cutting-edge translational research, leveraging expertise from across the cancer center to make significant progress within the next 10 years.
“Discovering an effective treatment for multiple myeloma patients can be a lengthy, complicated process, impacting the whole family,” said Pentecost, founder and CEO of Bradenton-based It Works! “I believe this gift will transform the current standard of care and ultimately provide a much needed multiple myeloma cure.”
The Pentecosts’ generous gift will allow Moffitt to continue to grow its global reputation as a leader in cell therapies, which will be an area of particular focus for the new multiple myeloma research center.
“We thank Mark, Cindy and the whole Pentecost family for their incredible generosity and commitment to Moffitt,” said Dr. Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt. “This donation will enable us to double down on our existing strength in multiple myeloma research and treatment and make great strides toward our vision to significantly improve the outcomes for multiple myeloma patients.”
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is the No. 11 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 7,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About The Pentecost Family Foundation
The Pentecost Family Foundation was established to give and influence the world in a positive way. Founded by Mark and Cindy Pentecost in 2019, since inception they have donated to non-profit organizations around the world. To learn more about The Pentecost Family Foundation, follow the Founder, Mark Pentecost, on LinkedIn.
