The University of Texas System Board of Regents today (July 8) formally accepted and thanked the San Antonio-based McCombs Foundation for the gift, which will help launch a long-term research initiative at M. D. Anderson.

Details of the research initiative will be announced Sept. 13 on the site of the new Red and Charline McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer about 1.5 miles from the main M. D. Anderson campus. The McCombs family will be honored at the event.

When completed, the McCombs Institute will be a $500 million enterprise devoted to exploring some of the most important new areas of cancer research and bringing many new jobs to Houston.

"Red, Charline, their daughter Marsha who oversees the family foundation, and their other daughters, Connie and Lynda, are extraordinary and successful people who have a tremendous commitment to giving back, and we are fortunate that they are so devoted to M. D. Anderson and its mission," said President John Mendelsohn, M.D. "Red, Charline and their family foundation are giving us the opportunity to take our outstanding research programs to a new level that will enable us to bring the next era of cancer treatment, screening and early detection to our patients even sooner."

Mr. McCombs has been involved with M. D. Anderson since 1986 when he became a member of the institution's Board of Visitors. He was chairman of the board from 1995 to 1997 and has remained an active senior member of the board since his chairmanship. Since 1980, the McCombses have contributed to the George and Cynthia Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building, the George and Barbara Bush Endowment for Innovative Cancer Research and M. D. Anderson's "Fulfill the Promise" capita
'"/>

Contact: DeDe Okin
tdokin@mdanderson.org
713-792-0655
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
8-Jul-2005