The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) has announced a $25 million gift from the Skip Viragh Foundation in support of efforts to change the paradigm for how pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed and treated, leading to dramatically improved outcomes.

Made in memory of Skip Viragh, a pioneer in the field of mutual fund investment who died of pancreatic cancer in 2003, the largest gift ever to the PanCAN will support ongoing research and clinical initiatives and provide critical funding for early detection efforts. It also will fund Precision Promise, an adaptive clinical trial platform for pancreatic cancer patients designed to bring new treatment options to patients and transform the future of clinical research. A $15 million gift from the foundation in 2015 helped launch the network's efforts to launch initiatives such as the Know Your Tumor precision medicine service and the Patient Registry.

"Skip had a 'hurry up and do it now' approach, and he believed in a collective effort to make it happen," said a family member. "We see this same approach at PanCAN. There's an innovative spirit and a readiness to work with other organizations and institutions to get things done...to change outcomes for pancreatic cancer. Skip didn't rest on his laurels, and neither does PanCAN."

"We are honored to be a part of Skip's incredible legacy," said PanCAN president and CEO Julie Fleshman. "The previous gift in his memory of $15 million enabled us to introduce Know Your Tumor three years ago, which led to the vision behind Precision Promise, set to launch this year. Thanks to Skip's sustained generosity, we can evolve our research programs and services and continue building on our commitment to change patient outcomes. We are extremely grateful for this level of visionary support."