Corvette coupe raises $125,000 for cancer investigations at TGen

January 25th, 2012

Auction of a 1993 Chevrolet Corvette 40th Anniversary coupe raised $125,000 at the 41st Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, benefiting cancer research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

Proceeds go to the Barrett-Jackson Cancer Research Fund at TGen, in Memory of Russ and Brian Jackson. The fund is a salute to auction Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson's father, Russ, and brother, Brian, whose lives were cut short by colon cancer.

The ruby red 1993 Corvette is one of the 40th anniversary models of this legendary sports car. The first Corvette was built in 1953.

The car previously raised more than $200,000 for non-profit TGen research. The Corvette was sold and donated back several times during the 2011 auction, overseen by an emotional Craig Jackson.

This year, the Corvette was auctioned during Barrett-Jackson's evening prime time in Scottsdale on Saturday, Jan. 21, when many of the most expensive collector cars were featured.

The car raised $120,000 through auction, during which one member of the Barrett-Jackson audience also volunteered a separate $5,000 donation to TGen.

"Auction proceeds from this car are just a part of our ongoing commitment to raising funds and awareness about the tremendous work being done by TGen. I am so energized and honored by the research being done in memory of my dad and brother," Craig Jackson said.

Besides its annual Scottsdale event, Barrett-Jackson also conducts collector car auctions each year in: Palm Beach, Fla.; Orange County, Calif.; and Las Vegas, Nev.

Money raised by Barrett-Jackson supports TGen's research into colon and prostate cancer at TGen's Russ and Brian Jackson Research Laboratory, which is supported by the Barrett-Jackson Cancer Research Fund at TGen. This effort has become a fundraising focus at each of the four Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions. Craig Jackson has acted as a national spokesperson, spreading the word about how the fund supports research into both colon and prostate cancer, and how the research may lead to improved quality of life for cancer patients.

"The Barrett-Jackson team is helping to bring TGen's personalized approach to patients who are battling cancer right now," said Michael Bassoff, President of the non-profit TGen Foundation. "This research focuses on providing patients with the right treatment in the right dosage at the right time.''

Nearly 140,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with colon cancer, which each year kills nearly 50,000 patients, the third-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

An additional 240,000 American men are annually diagnosed with prostate cancer, which each year kills nearly 34,000 patients, the second-leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S.

The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction helped raise $5.8 million for local and national charities.

Provided by The Translational Genomics Research Institute