The Parker Foundation (en-US)

ROME, May 2, 2016 – The Pontifical Key Philanthropy Award was presented to Sean Parker at the Vatican by His Eminence Gianfranco Cardinal Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Dr. Robin Smith, President of the Stem for Life Foundation.

This award honors an individual who exemplifies care for all of human kind and demonstrates exceptional commitment to tackling difficult issues in order to improve the human condition. This unique recognition was announced during The Third International Conference on the Progress of Regenerative Medicine and Its Cultural Impact, held in Vatican City April 28-30, 2016.

“We congratulate Sean Parker for winning the 2016 Key Philanthropy Award,” said Cardinal Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council For Culture. “Sean’s unique vision for the role of cellular therapies in addressing disease, especially his work in cancer immunotherapies, as evidenced by his recent announcement of the Parker Institute, offers real hope for cancer patients everywhere. We are hopeful that Sean’s example will inspire others toward such selfless acts in the name of humanity.”

On April 13 of this year, the Parker Foundation announced a $250 million grant to create the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. The institute is an unprecedented collaboration between the country’s leading immunologists and cancer centers — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Stanford University, UCLA, UCSF, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the University of Pennsylvania. The gift is the largest single contribution ever made to the field of immunotherapy.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the Pontifical Key Philanthropy Award and would like to thank the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Stem for Life Foundation for this recognition,” said Mr. Parker. “It has been a privilege to collaborate with scientists and industry partners across the Parker Institute to unify research programs, intellectual property licensing, data collection, and clinical trials. The breakthrough potential of immunotherapy may be the key to treating and even curing cancers that are currently untreatable.”

For more than a decade, Mr. Parker has been an active donor to cancer research, global public health and civic engagement. In June 2015, he established the Parker Foundation with a $600 million gift in order to build on his historical support for these issues and drive meaningful change in areas where the foundation can make a catalytic impact.

“We’re so proud to give this award to Sean for his generosity and vision,” said Dr. Robin Smith, President of The Stem for Life Foundation. “His bold ideas and clear vision for immunotherapies through his creation of the Parker Institute will undoubtedly help accelerate a cure for cancer.”

The Third International Conference on the Progress of Regenerative Medicine and Its Cultural Impact is the continuation of a seven-year collaboration between the Stem for Life Foundation, a not-for-profit organization devoted to advancing global awareness of regenerative medicine and cell therapy, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture and its foundation, STOQ (Science, Theology and the Ontological Quest). This year’s focus is on Cellular Horizons and will explore the future and how science, technology, information and communication will allow us to personalize medical solutions to remove inefficiencies, eliminate unnecessary care, and improve clinical outcomes at an individual level increase.

About The Parker Foundation

The Parker Foundation is a private foundation established in 2015 through a $600 million gift by Sean Parker. Based in San Francisco, the foundation builds upon Sean Parker's philanthropic efforts over the last 10 years and capitalizes on his pioneering work in the fields of technology, media, company building, and public policy. The foundation aggressively pursues large-scale systemic change in three areas: Life Sciences, Global Public Health and Civic Engagement. More information about the Parker Foundation can be found at www.parker.org.

About The Stem for Life Foundation

The Stem for Life Foundation (SFLF) is the educational and advocacy subsidiary of The Cura Foundation and is devoted to fostering global awareness of the potential for regenerative medicine to treat and cure a range of deadly diseases and debilitating medical conditions, as opposed to merely treating their symptoms. The Foundation stands at the forefront of a fundamental shift away from traditional drug treatment in favor of amplifying the body’s natural repair mechanisms to vanquish disease. For more information on The Stem for Life Foundation, please visit http://www.stemforlife.org. To follow the Vatican event on Twitter, please join the conversation @StemForLife or via the hashtag #UNITETOCURE