Polo on the Prairie, a fundraising event that takes place annually to support the work being conducted at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is a tradition in Houston, Texas, and this year it will take place on Saturday, April 25. It is the 29th edition of the annual event organized by the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors member Henry Musselman and his wife, Melinda.
This year’s Polo on the Prairie will be held at the Musselman Brothers’ Lazy 3 Ranch in Albany, Texas, since its usual location, the West Texas fields, was affected by ongoing drought and lack of water to irrigate the fields. The event, which is expected to gather about 900 supporters, will include a barbecue dinner buffet, live music by the Texas singer and songwriter Robert Earl Keen, dancing and fireworks.
“Polo on the Prairie plays an enormous role in raising awareness of MD Anderson and in raising funds to support our mission to end cancer,” stated in a press release the president of MD Anderson, Ron DePinho, MD. “The generous support of the Musselman family and all who attend makes a real difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families in West Texas and around the world.”
Since the first edition of Polo on the Prairie, which took place in 1987, the hosts have raised over $5.3 million with the help of volunteers, organizations and donors. The proceeds are invested in cancer research and patient care initiatives from the MD Anderson Cancer Center and expected to improve the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families.
This year’s Polo on the Prairie will begin at 5:30 pm with a barbecue dinner served chuck-wagon style by Joe Allen’s Pit Bar-B-Que of Abilene, at 6:30 pm. Tickets cannot be purchased at the location, but the individual tickets, which cost $75, are available at 866-262-9029 (press 2 to leave a message) or at [email protected]mdanderson.org.
The academics at MD Anderson are focused on improving treatment for cancer, as well as the quality of life of patients and their families. The center has become a crucial institution in the country, having starred several discoveries and findings that are helping advance cancer knowledge and the development of breakthough treatments.
Most recently, MD Anderson researchers published data that may have direct implications for the future of brain cancer treatment. The study, which was entitled “Genomically amplified Akt3 activates DNA repair pathway and promotes glioma progression” and published at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was designed to understand the mechanisms of how some brain cancer patients develop resistance to standard treatments including radiation and the chemotherapy agent temozolomide.