This year's event welcomed WVU Men's Basketball Coach, Bob Huggins, Rod Thorn, Rudy Zatezalo and Paul Miller who answered questions and reminisced about what it was like to play for WVU Men's Basketball back in their student days at WVU.

The Fish Fry, in its 8th year, continues to draw a huge crowd, Over 1700 attendees added their support, participating in a silent auction, live auction, raffle, and other giving opportunities. They rounded out the evening dancing to a live performance from the local band Lords of Lester and Cody Clayton Eagle with a rousing rendition of Country Roads.

WVU Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Huggins launched the endowment fund after his mother, Norma Mae Huggins, lost her battle with colon cancer in 2003. To date, the fund has raised about $5.4 million to support clinical research trials for cancer patients in West Virginia. But, to the patients and physicians impacted by those funds, their value is priceless.

“Who says we can’t find a cure for cancer right here in West Virginia? I think the people in this state deserve a first-class situation in terms of fighting cancer."

Pete and Linda Zulia presented a check for $151,000 from the Oxford Partnership to Coach Bob Huggins and Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins on behalf of the Norma Mae Huggins Endowment. Pete and Linda live in Cincinnati, Ohio.

WVU Dental Care will celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month by offering free screenings, fluoride treatments, dental radiographs if indicated, and oral health education to children ages one to 17 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in the WVU Pediatric Dentistry Clinic.

Appointments are required, and space is limited. To schedule an appointment for the services, call 304-293-0401.

As many of you may already know, just a few weeks ago, on December 20, Congress and the President provided a big boost to cancer research with the passage and enactment of an appropriations bill providing the National Cancer Institute (NCI) with a budget increase of $297 million for fiscal year (FY) 2020. While the number of grant applications to NCI continues to rise, with this robust budget increase, we are extending our paylines and anticipate funding more than 125 additional competing awards in FY 2020 than we did in FY 2019.  

Congress also increased the overall NIH budget by $2.6 billion, the fifth year in a row of significant increases for NIH. We in the cancer community know that these investments pay huge dividends, as evidenced by the recent reports of historic declines in cancer mortality rates. 

To put this in perspective, the appropriations bill contains a 6.7% increase for NIH overall, which includes a 5% boost for NCI. 

Annual Pancake Fundraiser to Support The Comfort Fund held on Sunday

A pancake breakfast fundraiser benefitting the Comfort Fund at the WVU Cancer Institute Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center (MBRCC) took place at Applebee’s in Morgantown.

Pictured here: Amanda Hill – Chaplain at the MBRCC, Monti Bear, Leanna Schwartzlow – Dietitian at MBRCC & Mary Anne Yanosik – Dietitian at MBRCC who are all members of the Comfort Fund Committee.

This year's event had a record attendance of 159 people and raised over $1300 for the Comfort Fund.

The MBRCC Comfort Fund was established to provide temporary, short-term financial assistance for patients being treated at the Cancer Center until they can be linked with appropriate community, state, or national resources for assistance.

You don’t have to choose between health and wealth in 2020. Take advantage of WVU Wellness Winter Classes or check out discounts and deals at many local area fitness centers.