THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION

HOSTS THE 25TH ANNUAL PRO-AM TENNIS & GOLF TOURNAMENT

By Elizabeth Darwen I Photos by BFA / Tiffany Sage

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) hosted its annual Pro-Am Tennis & Golf Tournaments in South Florida. The tournaments were a five-day event combining the 2023 Milken Institute South Florida Dialogues and annual Pro-Am Tournaments. 2023 is a double-anniversary for he PCF as it was both the 25th Anniversary of the PCF in Palm Beach and the 30th Anniversary year of the Foundation itself.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization that funds lifesaving cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has financed nearly $800 million of innovative research by 2,200 scientists at 220 leading cancer centers in 22 countries worldwide. Because of PCF’s commitment to ending death and suffering from prostate cancer, the death rate is down more than 52 percent, and 1.5 million men are alive today. In addition, PCF research now impacts 67 forms of human cancer by focusing on immunotherapy, the microbiome, and food as medicine.

The Milken Institute South Florida Dialogues in Palm Beach took place over three days, including the annual PCF Pro-Am Tennis and special Golf Tournament. They concluded with three days of events in Miami. The first night in Palm Beach saw a talk held at the home of Roxann Taylor before the PCF dinner at the home of Jeff and Mei Sze Greene. The second day’s highlight was the Gala Dinner hosted by Howard and Wendy Cox and held at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium with entertainment by The Beach Boys. The Cox Science Center has educated some 10 million young minds in STEM during its sixty years of operation, with a new expansion and aquarium due to open in 2026.

Some of the notable attendees included Mike Milken, Howard Cox, Rob and Cindy Citrone, Bill Koch, Jeff, and Mei Sze Greene, Ahmed Reza, Ameena Reza, Elaine Chao, Ginger Feuer Leeds, Larry Leeds, Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, Don and Katrina Peebles, Alicia Dahill, Herbie Wertheim, Jim Coleman, Kristin Snyder, Eddie Trump, Dr. Charles J. Ryan, Frank Luntz, George Norcross, Dean and Marianne Metropoulos, Francine LeFrak, Lew and Kathleen Crampton, Neil Bluhm, Jim Gordon, Chris and Katia Oberbeck, Dre Lyon, and Ed Garden.

Sponsors and Hosts for the Palm Beach event included Howard and Wendy Cox, Chuck and Theresa Davidson, Jeff and Mei Sze Greene, Joe and Michelle Jacobs, Sonia and Paul Tudor Jones, William I. Koch, William and Phyllis Mack, John Paulson, Nelson and Claudia Peltz, John and Amy Phelan, Stephen M. Ross, The Honorable Wilbur and Hilary Ross, John and Jana Scarpa, John and Diane Sculley, Leerom and Karolina Segal, Steven and Lisa Tananbaum, Igor Tulchinsky, Ted and Dani Virtue and Andrew and Monica Weinberg.

Guests were invited to attend a variety of salons on topics similar to those covered at the Global Conference but in much smaller, more intimate landmark settings and stunning private homes. Guests could attend more than 20 sessions, with over 120 exciting panelists.

All proceeds from the PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tournament and the Golf Tournament funded PCF’s promising and innovative research efforts for the prevention, detection, and treatment of prostate cancer and to help extend and improve the lives of all cancer patients:

Young Investigators PCF has launched and supported the careers of more than 500 scientists whose work has led to 15 new FDA-approved treatments.

· Since the creation of the PCF, some 2,000 young investigator awards have been made, and their work has led to four Nobel prizes in Medicine.

· VA Partnership Providing best-in-care treatments for our U.S. veterans.

· Team Science PCF Challenge Award Teams continue to produce scientific breakthroughs and serve as role models for other diseasespecific foundations.

· The Cutting Edge of Research By focusing on immunotherapy, the microbiome, and nutritional science, discoveries in PCF-funded research have been highly leveraged in diagnosing and treating more than 70 other cancers.

· Precision Medicine PCF helps identify the proper treatment for the right patient at the right time and may be at the heart of solving the mystery of cancer. The newest, largest initiative TACTICAL (Therapy ACceleration To Intercept CAncer Lethality), aims to provide awards of up to $10 million over three years to support large-scale research projects led by qualified teams of academic scientists that specifically address the development of 21st Century therapies for lethal forms of prostate cancer.

Following the Gala, the PCF Pro-Am finals took place the next day at The Breakers. Again, players, as well as spectators, enjoyed some great matches. After a competitive day, this year’s winners included Laura Gordon (Champion – Group 1), Scott Shleifer Runner-Up – Group 1), Marisa Brown (Champion – Group 2), Steve Tananbaum (RunnerUp – Group 2), Arik Ruchim (Champion – Group 3) and Joe Jacobs (Runner-Up – Group 3).

Following the conclusion of the tennis tournament, a reception, panel discussion, and dinner was hosted by Don and Katrina Peebles at The Bath Club in Miami.

For more information on the Prostate Cancer Foundation, visit pcf.org