Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have committed a significant $12.5 million to blood cancer research and treatment, a cause deeply personal for Dee Haslam following her 2021 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis.
Donation Breakdown
The donation includes $10 million to the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre in England for research and drug development focused on CLL and other rare blood cancers. The remaining $2.5 million will go to Cleveland's University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, which will establish an endowed chair in CLL research and an innovation fund to drive advancements in care.
Personal Connection
"I am extremely grateful that I am living a full, healthy life after being diagnosed with CLL in 2021," Dee Haslam said in a statement. "Together with UH Seidman Cancer Center and the Oxford-Harrington Centre, we hope to increase knowledge of CLL, generate new treatments and give others the confidence and information they need to navigate the disease. Ideally, cures for other blood disorders will be discovered in the process."
About CLL and Research
CLL is the most common form of leukemia in adults. There remains no cure, but modern therapies have made it a manageable condition. The Harrington Discovery Institute, founded in 2021, has 227 medicines in development, supports 75 institutions, has launched 47 companies, has 24 medicines in clinical trials, and has licensed 15 to pharmaceutical companies.
Haslam Family Ventures
Beyond their NFL team, the Haslams are majority owners of the Milwaukee Bucks, Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, and an NWSL expansion franchise in Columbus. The Milwaukee Bucks failed to make the NBA playoffs this year after finishing the season with 32 wins and 50 losses. Meanwhile, Columbus Crew are currently 10th in the MLS Eastern Conference table with 12 points from their opening 11 matches, recording three wins, three draws, and five defeats.
