Bill Whisenant and Kelly Ross decided to participate in the Capstone Challenge in honor and memory of Bill’s sister, Gail Whisenant Towne.
Bill Whisenant and Kelly Ross of Chapel Hill, NC decided to participate in the Capstone Challenge for the Lineberger Seed Grant Program in honor and memory of Bill’s sister, Gail Whisenant Towne. Gail courageously battled breast cancer for two years. Gail was only 49 years old when she died in August 2007. She is survived by two children Melissa age 25 and Patrick Towne age 24.
Bill and Kelly feel that early stage research supported by the Seed Grant Program is critical in discovering treatments and potential cures for cancer. While seed money can be the toughest to find, at UNC Lineberger, a little bit goes a long way. Seed Grants provide the resources for a researcher to investigate new paths and often, the knowledge gained through Seed Grant funding can be leveraged into much larger research grants from more conventional funding sources like the National Institutes of Health.
Bill and Kelly created the Gail Whisenant Towne Endowment Fund for Seed Grant Research with a commitment of $25,000. This permanent endowment fund honors Gail and supports innovative research that will directly benefit other cancer patients.