Just before Kim’s bone marrow transplant, three of Kim’s good friends in New York planned an event to raise money for Kim and her fiancé to take a vacation following treatment.  When Kim learned of their plans, she requested that any money raised be donated to M. D. Anderson for leukemia research.

By the end of that day, word was sent back to New York and the Kimberly Patterson Leukemia Research Fund was born.  The few hundred dollars collected for a vacation quickly became a few thousand dollars raised in support of Kim’s battle with leukemia.

In the first two months, over ten thousand dollars was raised on Kim’s behalf.    In 2000, additional fundraisers brought tens of thousands more.

On November 29, 2000, after battling an infection for two months, Kim lost her eighteen-month fight. 

We continue this Fund, which was so important to Kim, must continue on and grow, as a tribute to her spirit.

Kim’s family thanks you for your generous support and kind thoughts.

 

KIM'S FUND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS M.D. ANDERSON CANCER CENTER - A brief history

Kim Patterson was born in Sarasota in 1971, attended school here, and graduated from Riverview High School in 1989.  She attended Syracuse University, graduating in 1993 with degree in fine arts with an emphasis on surface pattern design.  She became a rising figure with a large design firm in New York City, and her designs for Martha Stewart products and others were found in retailers throughout the country.  She was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in May of 1999, and went to the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, for treatment that included a bone marrow transplant in October of 1999.

Kim organized what is known as "Kim's Fund" while she was a patient at M. D. Anderson.  It was her idea and her initiative.  Kim’s Fund was organized, in approximately equal parts, to fund research in the field of leukemia and to provide financial assistance to needy patients undergoing treatment for leukemia.  Kim’s Fund was, and is, administered by the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.  The Fund grew during Kim's fight against leukemia and the effects of the treatment until her death in November of 2000.  Subsequently, a formal funding and endowment agreement was reached between her husband, Brian Murphy, her parents, John and Nora Patterson, and the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

A number of fund-raising events have been held both before and after Kim's death.  It became apparent through discussions with the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center that an entity apart from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center was needed to organize and support these fund-raising and educational activities.  This led to the formation of The Kimberly Patterson Murphy Leukemia Research Fund, Inc. in 2002 as a Florida corporation not for profit.  It is recognized as a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  

The organization’s source of financial support consists of contributions from donors and the proceeds of its fund raising activities.  At present, approximately 900 people and organizations have contributed to Kim's Fund.  Total contributions were almost $500,000 as of February, 2009.  All contributions are tax deductible.  One hundred percent of all funds raised to date have gone directly to patient assistance and cancer research.  

The patient assistance portions of Kim's Fund have been used to help those with special financial needs while in treatment at M. D. Anderson.  Housing is one of the primary needs both for patients and the family caregivers that must be with them for extended stays for therapy and recovery.  Assistance has been provided to patients from throughout the country.  The expenditure of these funds is directed by the heads of the social services department at M. D. Anderson.

The research portions of Kim's Fund are applied in various ways.  A number of research fellowships have been awarded.  These fellowships are based on competitive applications that are reviewed by the senior research staff at M. D. Anderson.  Also, funds have been applied to matching grants from the National Cancer Center for targeted research in leukemia.

Cancer remains one of our foremost killers and certainly one of the most dreaded diseases.  Kim's Fund is dedicated to helping to achieve a cure for cancer and assisting those in need at the nation's foremost comprehensive center for cancer research and treatment.