By Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director, The Hormel Institute

Guest column

Research is the only answer to cancer, and last week the 16th annual Karl Potach Memorial Golf Tournament in Austin provided great support for this through its major gift to The Hormel Institute’s world-renowned work, focused on finding answers to this devastating disease.

The Karl Potach Foundation donated $40,000 on Monday, Aug. 19, to The Hormel Institute’s cutting-edge research related to Wilms’ tumor, a type of pediatric cancer that took the life of 4-year-old Karl Potach in 1997. The Hormel Institute and Karl Potach Foundation have worked together since 2008 to jointly fund research on Wilms’ tumor in Karl’s hometown of Austin.

With this year’s gift, the Karl Potach Foundation now has raised more than $250,000 overall for Wilms’ tumor research at The Hormel Institute. As with any donation to The Hormel Institute, 100 percent directly funds cancer research right here in Austin.

All of us at The Hormel Institute are deeply honored and grateful to receive such significant, ongoing support for our world-class research. The Karl Tourney also always provides tremendous encouragement for our researchers as they work aggressively to find better answers to Wilms’ tumor and many other forms of cancer.

We extend our most heartfelt gratitude to Kurt and Brenda Potach, and their outstanding group of family and friends who annually put together the highly meaningful Karl Tourney. Our many thanks also go to the event’s numerous volunteers, participants, sponsors and donors.

Please know that The Hormel Institute’s researchers will continue our aggressive research in the fight against cancer. Together, we all share the vision of “Today’s Research, Tomorrow’s Cures.”