City News

One family looks for a “kure”

Barry Hoeven is a man of his word.

Through a recent $150,000 gift pledged to City of Hope on behalf of his family, Hoeven made good on a promise to support the kidney cancer research of his oncologist, Robert A. Figlin, M.D., chair of City of Hope’s Division of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research. The two formed a close friendship when Figlin, the Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan Professor of Medical Oncology, treated Hoeven more than two years ago for kidney cancer.

When talking with Figlin, Hoeven began to understand the importance of private philanthropy in pushing cancer research — particularly for rare cancers. “I learned that federal funding is declining for cancer research and that large pharmaceutical companies might not pursue treatments for cancers that strike smaller numbers of people, like kidney cancer,” said Hoeven. “A partnership between individual donors and the research community can further progress.”

As a result of the Hoeven’s generous commitment, City of Hope established the Kure It! Kidney Cancer Research Fund to support Figlin’s research. The fund’s Web site, www.kureit.org, provides information on kidney cancer and Figlin’s research, and helps attract potential donors, encouraging them to tour City of Hope and contribute. Hoeven’s initial goal is to raise $1 million, then generate $1 million more annually to continue underwriting Figlin’s kidney cancer studies.

While many philanthropists think about charitable donations when writing their wills, Hoeven views things differently. “With men facing a 1-in-2 chance of getting cancer in their lifetimes, and women a 1-in-3 chance, the disease affects more lives each day, including our friends and family,” Hoeven said. “We bear a personal responsibility to help find cures now.” His sense of urgency is reflected in how the Kure It! Fund is designed: Funds are used for research as they are collected.

Hoeven is a founding partner and president of Westport Properties Inc., which develops, acquires and manages self-storage facilities under the name US Storage Centers. He resides in Newport Beach, Calif., with his wife, Cinda, and their three children, Hilary, Drew and Chase.

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