UNCF Remembers Baseball Legend Hank Aaron

Today, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) mourns the passing of a great human, husband, father and quiet activist, who made tremendous accomplishments both on the field of baseball and in the game of life. Hank Aaron passed away at home surrounded by his family and beloved wife, Billye, UNCF’s former vice president of the Southern region.

Together, the Aarons graciously and consistently used their star power, wealth and gifts bestowed upon them to lift others to greatness through the work of UNCF, donating time, treasure and impact to help sway the public and press, drawing attention and support to our cause. We thank them for that from the bottom of our collective heart.

Over the years, the Aarons’ support has been substantial. Hank appeared in UNCF public service announcements. Together, they appeared on the nationally televised UNCF An Evening of Stars®. They donated millions of dollars to UNCF and to our member historically Black colleges and universities. They set up and funded a scholarship. They introduced UNCF team members to other interested business partners and supporters. The Aarons moved mountains and made a difference—all to help others that needed them.

“Hank and Billye Aaron’s sincere belief in our motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”®, led them to co-found with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young the first-ever Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball,” said Maurice Jenkins, UNCF Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “The Mayor’s Masked Ball has become an annual fundraising tradition in Atlanta for more than 30 years, drawing ever-larger crowds each year and breaking the million-dollar mark several years in a row. The Mayor’s Masked Ball has now been franchised across the United States to several other cities to help UNCF raise money in other locations because of its model of success—all thanks to the passion and ingenuity of Hank and Billye Aaron.”

Just two weeks ago, Hank was still doing his part to help better the lives of others by getting his COVID vaccine publicly at the UNCF-supported Morehouse College of Medicine, doing his best to let the Black community know how important it is that education and science lead in overcoming the current pandemic.

In his passing today, Hank Aaron has made a mark that counts not only in the sports world, but also in American education and American life in general—by opening doors of opportunity that would have otherwise remained closed. Hank’s philanthropy mattered, making a difference for untold thousands of students of color. He will be missed.

Morehouse commencement speaker to pay off Class of 2019’s student loans

Robert F. Smith

Billionaire Robert F. Smith, who received an honorary doctorate at Morehouse College’s Sunday morning graduation exercises, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school.

But during his remarks in front of the nearly 400 graduating seniors, the technology investor and philanthropist surprised some by announcing that his family was providing a grant to eliminate the student debt of the entire Class of 2019.

“This is my class,” he said, “and I know my class will pay this forward.”The announcement came as a surprise to Smith’s staff and to the staff at Morehouse, and elicited the biggest cheers of the morning.

The gift has been estimated to be worth up to $40 million.
Aileen Dodd, spokesperson for Morehouse College, said the gift is the biggest single gift in the school’s history.

Read the full story here: AJC.COM

Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test

A team led by Tuskegee University researchers have developed a new way to detect the most aggressive and fatal form of breast cancer.

The university and researchers hope the new method may hold the potential for earlier detection and more informed treatment decisions.

The breakthrough was detailed in an article in PLOS ONE,a publication tied to the Public Library of Science. The article, “AR Negative Triple Negative or ‘Quadruple Negative’ Breast Cancers in African-American Women Have an Enriched Basal and Immune Signature,” shows researchers have developed a fourth testing marker to complement the other three biomarker-based methods.

Dr. Clayton Yates, a professor of biology and director of Tuskegee University’s multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research, published the team's findings. Support for the research come through the National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity program, otherwise known as the U54 program.

“Scientifically speaking, our research suggests that the expression of the androgen receptor (the receptor for testosterone), should be added to the current set of prognostic markers — estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 — used to test for classify and determine the aggressiveness of breast cancer,” Yates said.

“As with any fight, you have to know your enemy. Imagine going into battle not knowing if you needed a BB gun, a shotgun, or a bazooka,” Yates said. “With this additional testing option, physicians will be able to better define the enemy and develop a more precise treatment plan. This, in turn, promises to be more effective for the patient — not to mention safer and less expensive — in the long run.”

Breast cancer currently is the second-most common cancer among females. The new testing method shows significant promise for detecting the most aggressive types of breast cancer, especially among black women. Black women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed at later stages in life and are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer after initial diagnosis.

Read more: Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test