Children fighting cancer can benefit from 18 promising drug trials, thanks to a new $2.5 million donation from Peach Bowl, Inc. to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This is the second major capital injection, following the original $20 million contribution that established the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund in 2019.

Since then, the number of cutting-edge drug trials and treatments has grown to 18 and now includes seven pediatric and adult facilities nationwide. Currently, 79 children are enrolled in drug trials for various cancers.

“The Peach Bowl was created to give back, and we continue to follow that mission through our donation and commitment to fund the most promising clinical trials,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO. “Our goal in creating the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund was to partner with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and give them the resources they need so that together we can work to advance treatment for childhood cancer.”

The fund’s overall goal is to accelerate the testing of high-priority novel agents, devices, and treatment strategies, leading to new options and cures. The funding is used for developing drugs and cellular therapies that Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center physicians believe have the best chance of success.

“Thanks to the tremendous support from Peach Bowl Inc. our researchers will receive additional funding to help move their research from bench to bedside efforts as they continue to identify new ways to treat pediatric cancers,” said Dr. Douglas Graham, Chief, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

In July, the fifth funding cycle awarded the final remaining $3.6 million from the original donation to four new trials, bringing the total number of ongoing trials to 18. These new trials are:

• Dr. Thomas Cash will study a tumor-suppressing drug for patients with solid tumors.

• Dr. Sarah Mitchell will launch the first immunotherapy trial for children with osteosarcoma.

• Dr. Tobey MacDonald’s study, in collaboration with the University of Georgia, aims to increase survival for children with incurable brain tumors using immunotherapy.

• Dr. Michelle Schoettler will study a new drug to prevent thrombotic microangiopathy after a blood and marrow transplant.

Peach Bowl, Inc. is committed to the long-term sustainability of the fund and will continue to inject new funding, including $200,000 in corporate donations from Peach Bowl, Inc. and Aflac for the two Aflac Kickoff Games, and potentially another $100,000 from the 50/50 fan raffles at the games.

The fund is named in honor of Anna Charles “AC” Hollis, the daughter of Peach Bowl, Inc. VP of Sales, Benji Hollis, who passed away from acute myeloid leukemia in September 2018. She is the inspiration for the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund.