SOURCE OF WEALTH: Tennis
FUNDING AREAS: Cancer Research
OVERVIEW: James Blake launched the James Blake Foundation, which invests vital seed money at the leading-edge of science speeding the most promising work, and shortening the time it takes to turn lab discoveries into better treatments for patients.
BACKGROUND: Born in New York, James Blake started playing tennis as a kid and attended Harvard University. At 21, he played in his first Davis Cup. Blake was once ranked forth in the world and made late round appearances in the US Open and Australian Open, though he was never a finalist at any major.
Established in 2008, the James Blake Foundation has supported the efforts of the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund to honor James’ father. The foundation predominately funds cancer research by investing seed money to leading-edge science research in order to shorten the time it “takes to turn lab discoveries into better treatments for patients.”
ISSUES:
MEDICAL RESEARCH: Blake’s father Thomas Blake Sr., passed away from gastric cancer in 2004. Since 2008, the James Blake Foundation has supported the efforts of the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund, which works for early detection research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Blake recently announced a $1.1 million donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to help support its new Precision Interception and Prevention Initiative.
The James Blake Foundation will also soon become an official partner of TCS New York City Marathon and field a team runners to benefit early detection cancer research for the Thomas Blake Sr. Research Fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
LOOKING FORWARD: Barely into his 40s, James Blake still has plenty of time to deepen and expand his interest areas. Given the personal forces involved, expect cancer research to continue to loom large.
CONTACT:
Anne Cognetti, Director of Philanthropy Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group
anne@wcpg.co
212-233-1670
