Thirty-six years ago I made a promise to my son, T.J. He was dying of leukemia after bravely battling it for 18 months. He had been through the wringer of tests and treatments, and I promised my son I would raise one million dollars for cancer research so that no other kids would have to go through what he went through. His oncologist, Dr. James Holland of Mount Sinai in New York, had explained to us that the only thing standing between T.J. and a cure was money for research. We were all hopeful that we could leverage my friends in the music industry to light a spark.
My son passed away at the age of 19, and I was devastated. It was only the promise I had made to him that kept me afloat amidst such a devastating personal tragedy and filled me with purpose -- to raise $1 million for lifesaving cancer research.
T.J. wanted to fortify and expand the critical research that had enabled him to survive two years beyond his original prognosis. He understood so well the significance of his terrible disease and its impact on not only himself, but on the lives of so many other young victims and their families.
Soon after his death, I held the first fundraiser at Buddy Rich's nightclub with friends like Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Mel Torme, and Duke Ellington. We raised $50,000 for Dr. Holland's research and the T.J. Martell Foundation was born. The T.J. Martell Foundation is now the music industry's largest foundation that funds innovative medical research focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS.
Over the past 36 years, we have provided over $250 million for research into not just leukemia, but breast cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, neuroblastoma and other cancers as well as AIDS. Our Scientific Advisory Committee reviews proposals every autumn and selects the truly excellent recipients of our funding.
These research doctors work at leading hospitals like Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Harvard in Boston, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. So that means that wherever you live, there is probably a Martell-funded research hospital near you.
Cancer and AIDS are complex illnesses. Although medical science has made great strides, cures for these diseases remain elusive. The T.J. Martell Foundation actively promotes, encourages and funds scientific research that is "ahead of the curve." We push the boundaries of scientific knowledge to develop new treatments that will help save lives and improve the lives of cancer and AIDS patients.
Over the years, we have emerged as one of the world's leading sponsors of early-stage innovative research into the treatments and cures of leukemia, cancer and AIDS, and I am so proud of the work we do.
It has been many years since the $1 million mark was achieved -- but for my beloved son T.J., and for everyone else who has undergone the experience of cancer, leukemia, or AIDS, I pledge that the T.J. Martell Foundation will not rest until a true cure is discovered.
To learn more, please visit tjmartellfoundation.org.