Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is celebrating 25 years of the T.J. Martell Foundation’s continued commitment to the hospital’s Pediatric Cancer and Leukemia Research Program, which conducts leukemia and cancer research for infants, children and adolescents.

The foundation's support helps CHLA investigate childhood malignancies of the nervous system (brain tumors and neuroblastoma), the eye (retinoblastoma) muscle and bone (sarcomas) and blood cells (leukemias).

“Many of the advances that Childrens Hospital has made over the years, and will continue to make, are possible because of the consistent support of the foundation,” said Robert C. Seeger, M.D., a physician-researcher with the hospital’s Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases.

“Its support allows the hospital to retain and recruit some of the best research scientists and clinical investigators.” he added.

“We are proud of our accomplishments, but we are equally proud of the T.J. Martell Foundation’s continued commitment to us,” said Richard D. Cordova, FACHE, CHLA president/CEO.

Founded in 1975, the T.J. Martell Foundation is a primary funder of leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. It provides funds for highly targeted research projects that aim to develop more effective clinical treatments for patients at leading medical and scientific institutions.

“We began funding research at Childrens Hospital 25 years ago because of the great need to develop better treatments for leukemia and neuroblastoma that were killing thousands of children every year,” said Founder/Chairman Tony Martell.

The foundation is named in memory of the late T.J. Martell. In 1973, high-school student T.J.  was battling leukemia and asked his father, music industry executive Tony, to raise $1 million for cancer research so that no one else would have to go through the same experience.

In 1975, T.J. Martell died at age 19, inspiring Tony and musician friends like Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington to hold a fundraiser at Buddy Rich’s nightclub in New York, which raised $50,000 and the foundation was born.

During the past 35 years, it has provided more than $240 million to innovative, early stage research and provides funding to eight leading research facilities.

Funding is raised through a series of ongoing campaigns and signature events leveraging the star power, celebrity and mass appeal of recognized music industry talent.

“We continue to fund CHLA because of the outstanding research they have carried out and brought to the patient bedside, saving the lives of children suffering from leukemia and neuroblastoma all over the world,” said foundation CEO Peter Quinn.