AKC Canine Health Foundation's Canine Cancer Research Initiative Receives Champion Sponsorship from Kennel Club of Philadelphia

MEDIA CONTACT:
Bradford Brady
Director of Development & Communications
AKC Canine Health Foundation
Phone: 919-334-4023
E-mail: bradford.brady@akcchf.org

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

RALEIGH, NC (May 20, 2019) - The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs, announces the Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP) will direct their Champion Sponsor level gift to the AKC Canine Health Foundation’s 2019 Canine Cancer Research Initiative. This major gift will help support a new clinical trial to fight canine hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer of dogs.

CHF launched its Canine Cancer Research Initiative in January 2019 to focus research funding on new approaches to diagnose and treat cancer in dogs, seeking breakthroughs that will allow veterinarians to diagnose cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. Along with its donors, CHF has invested over $13 million in canine cancer research as part of its diverse portfolio of more than 900 canine health research grants, including hemangiosarcoma.

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s $100,000 gift will help support an exciting new CHF study, Grant 02534: Clinical Trial for Evaluation of Propranolol and Doxorubicin in the Treatment of Canine Hemangiosarcoma. This multi-institutional clinical trial will establish whether propranolol in combination with standard care will improve outcomes for dogs with this devastating cancer. Recent studies in people with a similar tumor, angiosarcoma, showed that propranolol, a common drug used to treat heart disease in humans and dogs, increased the survival time for human angiosarcoma patients. Propranolol was also shown to sensitize hemangiosarcoma cells to chemotherapy, providing a more effective way to kill tumor cells.

“Building on new findings in human cancer research, the AKC Canine Health Foundation is excited about this opportunity to apply that knowledge to canine cancer research,” states CHF Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Diane Brown.  “We are grateful for the generous support and collaboration of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia for this study. Results from this clinical trial may directly alter the standard of care for dogs with hemangiosarcoma.”

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia has been a member of the American Kennel Club since 1913. In partnership with Purina and NBC, KCP hosts the annual National Dog Show, which airs on NBC on Thanksgiving Day. It is the most widely watched canine event in the world, capturing more than 25 million viewers in 2018.

“Thanks to our club members and partners, KCP is able to give back to the dogs and people that enrich our lives. We are honored to support this clinical trial and hope that its results will improve the quality of life for dogs affected by this horrible cancer,” states KCP President, Wayne Ferguson.

Thanks to the generous support of its donors and the collaborative efforts of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and the American Kennel Club (AKC), CHF will continue to invest in important canine health research so that all dogs can live longer, healthier lives. To learn more and help CHF meet the 2019 AKC Canine Cancer Research Initiative match, visit www.akcchf.org/match.

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About the AKC Canine Health Foundation

Since 1995, the AKC Canine Health Foundation has leveraged the power of science to address the health needs of all dogs. With more than $46 million in funding to date, the Foundation provides grants for the highest quality canine health research and shares information on the discoveries that help prevent, treat and cure canine diseases. The Foundation meets and exceeds industry standards for fiscal responsibility, as demonstrated by their highest four-star Charity Navigator rating and GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. Learn more at www.akcchf.org.