Barry Hoeven , founder of Kure It !

By Christopher Trela | NB Indy

Corona del Mar resident Barry Hoeven was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007 . After Hoeven learned there was a disconnect between the number of people afflicted with kidney cancer and the amount of funding and research being conducted to find a cure , he launched a nonprofit called Kure It , Inc . ( the “ K ” represents kidney cancer ) to help raise money to fund cancer research .

Hoeven lost his nearly two-decade battle with kidney cancer in 2016 , but Kure It Cancer Research continues to fund innovative research projects for underfunded cancers at leading cancer centers around the United States and beyond .

More than 200 guests ( including many of Hoeven ’ s friends and supports from Newport Beach ) gathered on Saturday , Nov . 5 at City National Grove of Anaheim for Kure It Cancer Research ’ s “ Let ’ s Save Lives ” Gala , themed “ Cures for Kids .”

Guests at the 15th anniversary event were treated to a silent auction full of a fantastic selection of wines and spirits , as well as art and overnight

stays at esteemed locations .

Kure It Board Chair Todd Perry welcomed everyone , acknowledging the board of directors , staff , women ’ s guild , and the sponsors . He explained Kure It ’ s mission and the grants of $ 50,000 to $ 250,000 in seed money to help get an innovative idea off the ground in hopes that larger funding can be secured to

Westport Properties President & CIO and honoree Drew Hoeven and his wife Jaime of Newport Beach . Photo by Tony Lattimore

take the research to the next level . Towards that end , Perry introduced Dr . Edward Kim , Physicianin-Chief and Senior Vice President , City of Hope Orange County , who is a renowned cancer researcher and recruited dozens of cancer-fighting physician scientists from around the country making the new City of Hope campus in Irvine the epicenter

for cancer breakthroughs .

He acknowledged Kure It ’ s partnership in supporting research for kidney and other underfunded cancers .

Dr . Sumanta Pal , M . D . who heads Kure It ’ s Medical Advisory Board and serves as co-director of City of Hope ’ s kidney cancer program , discussed his relationship with Kure It Founder Barry Hoeven , when Hoeven wanted to turn his kidney cancer diagnosis into a message of hope to others 15 years ago by establishing a named fund at City of Hope . Dr . Pal was his oncologist .

A special Kure It video celebrated the nonprofit ’ s 15 years of raising $ 13.5 Million for underfunded cancer research and supporting 55 research projects . It is on target in 2022 to grant $ 1 Million to fund cancer research .

After a live auction conducted by popular auctioneer Jim Nye , the evening progressed to a casino format as an In-N-Out truck provided hamburgers to departing guests .

The event raised $ 378,000 for pediatric cancer research .

Visit https :// www . kureit . org for more information .