NEW YORK, NY.- Artist Ugo Rondinone is being joined by 14 other artists who are donating significant works for Stop Bladder Cancer a benefit auction to raise funds for critical research for bladder cancer. Rondinone, who was diagnosed with high-grade bladder cancer in May of 2017, is joining forces with Sotheby’s, who have organized this sale as part of Sotheby's Contemporary Curated auction on September 26 in New York. The Contemporary Curated pre-sale exhibition will be open to the public from 20–25 September. The artists who contributed significant works to the auction are: Joe Bradley, Carroll Dunham, Latifa Echakhch, John Giorno, Peter Halley, Shara Hughes, Sarah Lucas, Chris Martin, Adam McEwen, Oscar Murillo, Elizabeth Peyton, Ugo Rondinone, Bosco Sodi, Pat Steir, and Franz West.

All Works Sold to Support Critical Funding for Bladder Cancer Treatment Research at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. To make an additional donation to support Urologic Oncology research at Weill Medical College, please send check to “Bladder Cancer Research Fund at NY Presbyterian Hospital” care of Dr. Douglas Scherr, 525 East 68th Street, Starr 900, New York, NY 10065.

Ugo Rondinone: “In May 2017 I was diagnosed with high-grade Bladder Cancer. Like most people, I had never heard of it or known someone diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. Little did I know, Bladder Cancer is very common with 429,800 new cases and 165,100 deaths in the US in 2019. Despite the high incidence rate, treatment of Bladder Cancer has not changed much over the past 25 years. After I was diagnosed I was referred
to Dr. Douglas Scherr, MD, Professor of Urology and the Clinical Director of Urologic Oncology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Scherr also has an active role in the Laboratory of Urologic Oncology. Dr. Scherr has been instrumental in defining the hormonal regulation of Bladder Cancer and is now developing, together with Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD, a novel class of compounds that utilize the innate immune system to fight urologic tumors. One of the important reasons for the relative lack of improvement in the treatment of Bladder Cancer is the low funding for research on Bladder Cancer. In the USA, research on Breast Cancer is supported annually with 600 million dollars, versus 22 million dollars spent on Bladder Cancer. This is why I decided to be an advocate and fundraiser for Bladder Cancer research and help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of Bladder Cancer. I am partnering with Sotheby’s to raise funds for urologic oncology research at Weill Cornell to help Dr. Scherr and Dr. Cubillos-Ruiz continue and expand their essential work. I want to thank all 14 artists who have generously donated a significant work in support of this special cause. Their participation will help to create awareness about Bladder Cancer and motivate future funding for Bladder Cancer research and ultimately a breakthrough treatment.”

Dr. Douglas Scherr, MD: “We are at a crossroads in the treatment of bladder cancer. Immunotherapy provides great promise but is not without limitations. Our research in manipulating molecular targets of the ER stress pathway is an innovative method to re-arm the immune system against bladder cancer. Critical funding support is urgently needed in order to fast track these findings and have immediate impact in patients who suffer from bladder cancer among other malignancies.”

Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD: “Our laboratory works on understanding how tumors paralyze the immune system. We exploit this knowledge to develop the next generation of effective immunotherapies for cancer.”