Spring 2023
By Katherine Agate
Photography by Pan-Mass Challenge
OOFOS, a company dedicated to helping people recharge their bodies through recovery footwear, has taken major steps in the fight against cancer by donating more than $1.4 million in 2022 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with cumulative total funding of more than $3 million. Their generous philanthropic support will fund breast cancer research and honor the legacy and memory of former OOFOS Brand Leader and Marketing Director Duncan Finigan.
In 2014, Finigan was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. A lifelong athlete, loving wife, and mother of four, Finigan and her family were stunned by her diagnosis. She underwent treatment at Dana-Farber, but, sadly, passed away in 2019.
Inspired by Finigan, OOFOS launched Project Pink in 2015, an initiative created to give back to Dana-Farber and fund new medical breakthroughs. Over the course of the year, OOFOS donates 2% of every online purchase from OOFOS.com to breast cancer research at Dana-Farber. Additionally, each October OOFOS designs a limited-edition Project Pink footwear style, generating excitement amongst their loyal customer base. This special campaign, as well as a few other exclusive annual campaigns, donates 100% of profits. Through its Project Pink initiative, OOFOS has demonstrated dedication, motivation, and love.
“OOFOS is extremely proud to have reached the significant milestone of $3 million donated to Dana-Farber,” says Lou Panaccione, OOFOS co-founder and CEO. “We are honored to raise funds to support breast cancer research and patient care in memory of Duncan, one of OOFOS’ first employees and a close friend.”
Sara Tolaney, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Breast Oncology in Dana-Farber’s Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, has been a critical partner for OOFOS. She and her team have made significant progress, including the creation of a translational hub. This hub has led to building a unique biorepository for blood/tissue/stool collection from patients with breast cancer and hiring a dedicated research scientist and research pathologist to efficiently organize the complex data, thus helping more patients.
“The support from OOFOS is allowing us to move in a direction that will have transformational impacts on the lives of patients with breast cancer,” says Tolaney. “We are now able to address multiple important scientific questions in breast cancer, and for this, we are so grateful.”