The Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center has received a $710 million contribution from the Bezos Family Foundation, making it one of the largest gifts to a single cancer research organization in recent years and the largest grant the center has ever received.
The center announced Wednesday that the donation will support 36 new research labs, the construction of a sizable research facility, investments in the infrastructure of clinical trials, and research on immunotherapy over a ten-year period.
Thomas Lynch, president and director of the center previously known as The Hutch that this month underwent a name change to Fred Hutch, said he collaborated with Mike and Jackie Bezos to better understand the motives behind their charitable giving. The creator of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, is raised by his mother, Jackie, and his stepfather, Mike. Second-richest man in the world Jeff Bezos left his position as CEO of Amazon in July 2021.
Lynch discovered that the Bezos family placed a high importance on cooperation in both research and treatment.
In an interview, Lynch said: “But don’t underestimate the importance of urgency, because I think that’s something that I feel passionately about and I know that Mike and Jackie feel passionately about being able to bring cures to patients soon.”
Since 2009, the Bezos family has contributed about $68 million to The Hutch’s research, according to the center. Whether Mike and Jackie Bezos donated through their foundation or through another organization was not disclosed. Requests for response were forwarded to The Hutch through a communications agency that had previously worked with the Bezos Family Foundation.
Mike Bezos applauded the consolidation of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Facility, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and UW Medicine into a single adult cancer research center earlier this year in a statement.
Bezos said:
“We hope our investment in The Hutch leads to answers for the most pressing medical questions, we also hope this inspires others to join us now in pursuing scientific and medical breakthroughs.”
Stuart and Molly Sloan gave Fred Hutch, which joined with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in April, a further significant gift of $78 million in September. This is a hint that philanthropic donations to the larger center are rising. It stated in 2021 that charitable donations accounted for around $86.4 million, or 8%, of its $984 million in total income.
“Research gives you hope and gives us hope that options might be different for the next patients down the road,” Lynch said.
