Livestrong Supports “Amplify Austin Day” with $10,000 Grant – and Highlights Three New Initiatives to Support Survivors in Central Texas

The Livestrong Foundation was proud to support Austin’s largest giving day of the year, Amplify Austin Day, by awarding a Community Solution Grant of $10,000 to support the critical work of local organizations here in Austin – Livestrong’s hometown – that provide care for cancer survivors.

The Livestrong Foundation was proud to support Austin’s largest giving day of the year, Amplify Austin Day, by awarding a Community Solution Grant of $10,000 to support the critical work of local organizations here in Austin – Livestrong’s hometown – that provide care for cancer survivors.

Cancer is the #1 cause of death in Travis County. Getting a cancer diagnosis and learning how to survive is an ordeal many Central Texans may face. Livestrong believes that those living with cancer deserve more than just hope for a better tomorrow – they deserve a better today. Livestrong has always been steadfast in its commitment to its Central Texas neighbors. With its $50 million commitment to the Livestrong Cancer Institutes of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Livestrong is reinventing the way cancer survivors are cared for and supported – right here in Austin, Texas. Livestrong is rethinking the full range of cancer care from prevention to diagnosis, treatment and survivorship, all with a focus on the patient’s needs, values and preferences.

At an event just last month, the Foundation announced three new initiatives to support survivors in Central Texas – and beyond. In addition to the Amplify Austin Community Solution Grant, Livestrong is investing $5-6 million dollars in 2020 in organizations that are developing cutting edge, inventive and sustainable solutions to overlooked cancer problems through the new Livestrong Solution Grants program. The response has been incredible. In Texas alone, Livestrong has received requests for over $2.2 million from over 39 applicants. Nationwide, they have received 231 applications from 196 organizations requesting $14.5 million. The organization will award grants in two tiers: 1) one-year Acceleration Grants, and – awards between $5,000 and $20,000; and 2) multi-year Transformation Grants – awards between $25,000 and $100,000. Livestrong will announce the winners of these grants on May 1, 2020. To learn more about the Livestrong Solution Grants Program visit: https://www.livestrong.org/what-we-do/livestrong-solution-grants.

Livestrong also announced that the Livestrong National Innovation Symposium will occur in October 2020 in Austin, Texas. The finale to a series of Innovation Conversations around the country, the Symposium will bring together a diversity of talents and perspectives to focus on solutions that address the complex healthcare issues we face today.

Finally, the Foundation is in the early stages of establishing a Cancer Innovation Center to realize its vision of creating a centralized home for like-minded organizations to come together under one roof and system-disrupting create solutions. Plans include designated space within the City of Austin Innovation District.

For nearly 25 years, Livestrong has served - and continues to serve - people affected by cancer; identifying areas where patients and survivors aren’t supported and then investing in advocacy, programs and services that address those needs.

“In the beginning, we invested in providing patients and survivors with support in ways few others were, building a community, and helping people get through their hardest days,” said Greg Lee, President & CEO of Livestrong. “It’s time for us to head back to the frontier and find areas where patients and their families still face gaps in care and resources.”

Livestrong is dedicated to listening to the community to identify the biggest gaps in cancer care and investing in disruptive, energetic, and breakthrough solutions designed to ensure that each and every person with cancer doesn't just survive, they Livestrong. The organization mission poses the question, “Which everyday cancer problem will we fix today?”

    Livestrong Facts:
  • Livestrong has served and supported more than 8.7 million people.
  • The organization has engaged and mobilized more than 90 million people in support of cancer initiatives.
  • The Foundation has invested more than $580 million in 576 cancer programs and services.
  • Over 12,000 survivors have been served by Livestrong Fertility, with over $65 million saved in fertility preservation costs.
  • Over 77,000 patients have regained their strength through Livestrong at the YMCA, which is offered nationwide at 809 locations across 42 states.

About Livestrong Foundation

For nearly 25 years, the Livestrong Foundation has served people affected by cancer, identifying the areas where patients and survivors aren’t supported, then investing in advocacy, programs and services that address their needs. As a result, today, more survivors are receiving the care they deserve. In 2020, Livestrong has announced a new era of service, re-committing to finding the frontier in cancer care where resources are lacking, and investing in new ways to fill those gaps. To accompany this new mission focus, Livestrong has unveiled a new visual identity representing its legacy, collaborative method and solutions-focused approach to empowering people living with cancer.