Pathway to Cures philanthropy fund grows with first new donor
Parents of son with hem B make donation to NBDF
Two longtime bleeding disorders advocates, who are the parents of a son with hemophilia B, have made a founding donation to Pathway to Cures — dubbed P2C — the new venture philanthropy fund of the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF).
The transformational gift was added to the estate donation that launched the fund earlier this year. Its aim is to accelerate the development of treatments and potential cures across inheritable blood and bleeding disorders, including hemophilia A and B, that are estimated to affect 20 million people globally.
Scott Martin, board chair of both the P2C and the NBDF, made the donation with his wife Kim.
“My wife and I feel privileged to launch the fundraising efforts for Pathway to Cures,” Scott Martin said in a press release.
“Our son was diagnosed with hemophilia B at birth, and we have focused his entire life around finding cures and treatments so he and thousands of others living with inheritable blood and bleeding issues have a better quality of life,” Martin said.
1st investment already made by NBDF philanthropy fund
The gift, the amount of which was not disclosed, was welcomed by NBDF staff.
“We are so grateful for the continued support of Kim and Scott who have been donors to the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation for many years,” said Len Valentino, MD, CEO of both P2C and the foundation.
“As a donor to the venture fund, Scott will also serve as a member of the donor advisory committee for Pathway to Cures,” Valentino said, adding, “Scott was involved from the onset of discussions and eventual creation of the NBDF venture philanthropy fund to fulfill our vision of a world without inheritable blood and bleeding disorders.”
P2C will invest in novel treatments and technologies, leveraging the foundation’s resources and scientific community relationships to promote the development of new therapies for those with blood and bleeding disorders.
For its first investment, P2C announced last month that it had given $250,000 to Anvesana, a company seeking to develop RNA biology-based treatments, to help advance new therapies for hemophilia and other blood disorders.
Reinvestments made back into the fund support promising companies and can potentially produce an investment portfolio that advances the foundation’s mission, according to the NBDF.
Formerly known as the National Hemophilia Foundation, the organization seeks to find cures for inheritable blood and bleeding disorders and to use research, education, and advocacy to address and prevent complications. In addition to hemophilia, the foundation supports people with sickle cell disease, von Willebrand disease, anemia, clotting disorders, and other blood-related conditions.
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