Winter 2024
By Caitlin Henault
Photography by Michael Blanchard
For more than 50 years, the Kraft family and Dana-Farber have shared a visionary partnership in support of a common mission: to make a difference in the lives of patients in New England and beyond. With a gift of $5 million to The Dana-Farber Campaign, the family will bring Dana-Farber’s lifesaving early detection and prevention programs to more people at risk of developing cancer.
The Kraft family is funding a program to support health equity efforts in Dana-Farber’s Centers for Early Detection and Interception (CEDI). Launched in 2023, CEDI is a first-of-its-kind, integrated clinical and research program that develops novel technologies and methods for cancer detection and prevention. The Kraft’s gift will advance work led by Sapna Syngal, MD, MPH, to support dedicated staff focused on expanding access to early detection screenings and education for at-risk populations throughout Dana-Farber’s existing network of community-based health clinics. A portion of the gift previously established the Kraft Family Chair, held by Nikhil Munshi, MD.
“By expanding access to early detection and prevention resources, we hope to reduce the burden of cancer treatment for patients and families down the road.”
Dan Kraft
“Despite enormous progress in early detection and prevention over the past several decades, historically marginalized populations still bear a disproportionate cancer burden,” said Syngal, who serves as co-director of CEDI. “This program brings CEDI’s lifesaving resources to more people in our communities and has the potential to serve as a national model for addressing disparities in cancer care.”
Syngal will collaborate with Magnolia Contreras, MSW, MBA, vice president of Community Health, and Christopher Lathan, MD, MS, MPH, chief clinical access officer and the Hadley Family Chair at Dana-Farber, to identify individuals in local communities at risk of developing cancer, implement screenings, and facilitate enrollment in clinical trials.
The Kraft family has played a pivotal role in many landmark initiatives at Dana-Farber, including the creation of the Cancer Care Equity Program, led by Lathan; the establishment of the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital; the endowment of the Kraft Family Professorship held by Kenneth Anderson, MD; and support for ovarian cancer and multiple myeloma research in memory of Myra Kraft and New England Patriots player Ron Burton. Robert Kraft served as a Dana-Farber Trustee for nearly 45 years, and Dan Kraft joined the board in 2012.
“The Kraft family continues to demonstrate a generous and heartfelt commitment to our community by connecting at-risk populations to resources and programs that will save their lives,” said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president emerita of Dana-Farber and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine. “They are further elevating our unrelenting efforts to ensure that everyone benefits from world-class cancer care, no matter their zip code or socio-economic status.”
“By expanding access to early detection and prevention resources, we hope to reduce the burden of cancer treatment for patients and families down the road,” said Dan Kraft. “Dana-Farber has the vision and the track record to level the playing field, and we believe this program will make a real difference in saving lives.”