Springfield-based Fight Colorectal Cancer nets major donation

The Ron and Martha Doornink Foundation is giving $350,000 to support a feasibility study by Springfield-based Fight Colorectal Cancer Inc.

In a news release, Fight Colorectal Cancer notes it is partnering with First Ascent Biomedical, a biotech company, on the study. The project aims to use First Ascent’s xDRIVE tumor profiling platform to increase understanding of and access to patients’ tumor biomarkers, thus allowing personalized cancer treatment options.

Ron Doornink, a Fight CRC emeritus board member, said he and his wife Martha believe in the power of innovation to change lives.

“Supporting this study gives us hope that patients will benefit from more effective, personalized treatment approaches,” he said in the release.

The study began enrolling patients in 2025 and will include 25 people, seen by physicians in Rochester, Minnesota, with metastatic colorectal cancer. Enrollment is expected to be complete within nine months, the release states.

The clinical portion of the study will be led by Hao Xie, gastrointestinal cancer specialist, and Dr. Lisa Boardman, a colorectal cancer researcher who previously received a $200,000 research grant from Fight CRC. Noah Berlow will serve as the study’s principal investigator. As the study progresses, details will be posted on ClinicalTrials.gov, according to the Fight CRC announcement.

Anjee Davis, CEO of Fight CRC, noted the Doorninks have both been personally impacted by colorectal cancer, and that fact has fueled their passion for advancing research and improving patient outcomes.

“Their advocacy and support have been instrumental in making this project possible, and we are grateful for their generosity and trust as they team up with Fight CRC to make this happen,” she said.

The Doornink Foundation is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but Fight CRC is located on Park Central Square in the heart of the Queen City. A mural featuring the late pro-wrestler-turned-jeweler Manoli Savvenas, who died from the disease, is located on the rear of the FCC’s headquarters, visible on the west side of 134 Park Central Square, Ste. 210.