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Miracle Fund

The Miracle Fund commemorates the courage Diana Hyland and Becky Hennessy displayed in their own battles with breast cancer. Both were passionate about the need for research so other women could conquer this disease. Since its inception in 2008, more than $22 million has been raised for clinical research and treatment of advanced stage breast cancer and all advanced cancers at UH Seidman Cancer Center.

Diana Hyland and Becky Hennessy would be proud to know that the Miracle Fund has significantly helped move innovative clinical ideas into practice. During the past year, the Miracle Fund provided support and resources that allowed the UH Seidman Cancer Center to positively impact patient care, research and supportive services. Some of the notable achievements from 2024 include:

Recruitment:

  • The recruitment of additional outstanding staff members, including Sonia Oliviera, MD, a senior breast cancer medical oncologist with clinical research experience.

Research:

  • The continued expansion of breast cancer clinical trials with a 40% year-to-date increase in clinical trial enrollment and the opening of several phase one trials for breast cancer.
  • Provided funding of translational research that has identified a peripheral blood marker capable of predicting response to immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer which has culminated in a publication in the prestigious Nature Communications journal.
  • Under the direction of Seth Field, MD, PhD, researchers are gaining new insight into what makes normal cells turn cancerous in order to develop new types of cancer treatments.

Advocacy:

  • At recent meetings of the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program Senior Advisory Board, Dr. Field sponsored a moment of silence to honor the memories of Becky Hennessy and Diana Hyland. Joining him in recognizing the impactful legacy of these two brave women were government officials, commissioned officers, senior breast cancer research scientists, and breast cancer patient advocates. Together, they recognized their vision in establishing the Miracle Fund and its ongoing impact in Ohio and beyond.

Events Supporting the Miracle Fund 

Family, friends, and supporters gather together semi-annually at the Miracles Happen Celebration to honor the life of Diana Hyland and continue her mission to further breast cancer research. The next Miracles Happen Celebration, presented by The Conway Family, will be on Friday, November 14, 2025.

The Becky Hennessy Golf Classic is a semi-annual Summer golf outing. It honors the life of Becky Hennessy, who was an advocate for the Miracle Fund and its efforts to fuel clinical research for advanced breast cancer. The next Becky Hennessy Golf Classic will be held in Summer 2026.