Philanthropist Lily Safra has donated $2.5 million to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to support the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative.
Safra is the widow of the banker and humanitarian Edward J. Safra, and has served as a board member for the Michael J. Fox Foundation as well as chairman of the Edward J. Safra Foundation, a principle partner of the former.
"My husband had a visionary belief in the power of human ingenuity to conquer disease," said Mrs. Safra.
Mrs. Safra’s gift will be used to fuel the foundation’s search for a biomarker of Parkinson’s disease progression. The PPMI study is aimed at discovering the indicators of Parkinson’s disease development so as to better diagnose, track and treat the disease, one day leading to a cure. The study will employ state-of-the-art neuroimaging, biomedical testing and careful subject observation to better understand the biomarkers of Parkinson’s development, helping to halt or even reverse the effects of the progressive neurological disorder.
Mrs. Safra added that during her husband’s lifetime, he was a prominent supporter of medical research and patient care.
"In his memory, it is my privilege to sponsor PPMI, a characteristically strategic effort by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fill gaps in medical research in order to speed improved treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease," she said.
Mrs. Safra’s donation, along with a consortium of funding partners, have made the study possible. It is expected to cost $40 million over five years, and requires 400 newly-diagnosed Parkinson’s patients who are not yet taking medication and 200 controls to volunteer as subjects.
Michael J. Fox, a prominent actor, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, though he would not share the news with the public for seven years. Since then, he has been fighting to fund research to treat and cure the disease as well as ease the suffering of those affected by it. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has funded nearly $196 million in research to date.