AutoNation Joins FL First Lady In Effort To 'Drive Away' Cancer

TAMPA, FL — Cancer patients throughout the greater Tampa Bay area received comfort bags filled with blankets, socks and messages of hope as part of AutoNation Inc.'s "Drive Pink" campaign to raise funds for patients with cancer and for cancer research.

Representing the company’s 13 dealerships throughout Tampa Bay, associates donated comfort bags for cancer patients served by Moffitt Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge Tampa.

This was AutoNation's seventh annual DRVPNK Across America Day to support the company’s ongoing commitment to “drive out” cancer. More than 15,000 comfort bags have been delivered nationwide to children and adults undergoing treatment.

“I am proud of the charitable work our AutoNation associates are doing in Tampa Bay and across the country,” said Marc Cannon, AutoNation executive vice president and chief customer experience officer. “Through DRVPNK, AutoNation has been able to make a considerable impact in the fight against cancer, raising over $30 million to create awareness, support critical research and fund cancer treatments.”

AutoNation is a longstanding partner of Moffitt Cancer Center and the title sponsor of its annual Miles for Moffit held in November.

The project goes hand in hand with a major announcement by Florida's first lady, Casey DeSantis, at a news conference at Moffitt Monday.

Casey DeSantis, who is waging her own battle against breast cancer, revealed that the governor is recommending that the Florida Legislature appropriate $100 million for cancer research in the 2022-23 budget.

That represents an increase of 60 percent over this year's funding.

If approved by the Legislature during next year's session, the funds will go to three cancer institutes conducting groundbreaking research into cancer treatments and cures — Moffitt Cancer Center, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Florida Health Cancer Center.

“Florida offers some of the best cancer care and research in the nation, and I’m proud that we are proposing historic investments in our leading cancer centers,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “The governor and I are committed to helping cancer patients through innovative research and high-quality care."

“The Florida Department of Health fully supports the first lady and governor in their request for comprehensive funding to support the Florida Consortium of National Cancer Institute Centers Program,” said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. “Florida’s cancer institutes are critical in providing treatment that saves the lives of patients with cancer. This funding will also continue supporting advancements in cancer research and treatments that can potentially lead to new cures.”

“The funding announced today will greatly benefit our three homegrown Florida cancer centers — Moffitt, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami and UF Health Cancer Center — enabling these institutions to recruit the best and brightest from around the globe," said Dr. Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt. "It will allow us to bring teams and grant dollars to Florida to better support cutting edge discoveries, research and patient care, and make progress in the prevention and cure of cancer. We can’t thank the governor and, of course, the first lady enough for all their support in the fight against cancer.”

In 2014, the Florida Legislature established the Florida Consortium of National Cancer Institute Centers Program to enhance the quality of cancer care in the state. The initiative funds the three cancer institutes.

Moffitt and the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center are Florida’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers and are among only 30 leading cancer centers in the U.S. participating in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

The University of Florida Health Cancer Center is applying for the National Cancer Institute designation.

Over the last three years, the consortium has provided treatment to more than 67,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients, educated nearly 32,000 current and future clinicians and scientists on the latest advancements for cancer diagnosis and treatments, and shared research findings through 75 distinct collaborative publications.

Florida also provides funding for separate initiatives that support pediatric cancer research, and grants that support cancer research at other institutes that are not NCI designated.

Funding for Cancer research and treatment programs has become even more important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Casey DeSantis noted.

According to a study released in May by the University of Kansas Medical Center, the pandemic prevented nearly 9.4 million people in the United States from receiving their regular screenings for breast, colon and prostate cancers.

"Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in our state and now is not the time to delay care," Casey DeSantis said. "I was honored to join experts in the cancer field today to discuss the urgency of cancer screening and to hear about the incredible innovative solutions our institutes are putting forward.”

Cancer has been the second leading cause of death in the state of Florida, behind heart disease, since 2014. In 2021, the American Cancer Society estimates there have been more than 47,000 deaths attributed to cancer in Florida, the second-highest number in the country.