We are funding research for a cure.
Project Periwinkle is a nonprofit organization with the mission of funding stomach cancer research for a cure and bringing awareness to the disease.
Our Story…
Project Periwinkle was founded by Ben Broghammer in memory of his cousin Michon Runyon, who passed away in the summer of 2014 after battling with stomach cancer. Following Michon’s passing, Ben started to write as an outlet for his grief. That outlet turned into the mission statement which started Project Periwinkle, and a journey to make the world a better place for others. He formally launched this organization in May of 2015, while still attending Saint Louis University for his undergraduate education, and he currently is serving as Project Periwinkle's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Michon (right) and sister Cristin (left)
Michon was full of life and had the ability to light up a room and the hope of Ben and all those involved with this organization is that her memory will continue to live on through the work we do. We are looking forward to a future where we can, as a world, say what cancer was, not what it is. Stomach cancer is a disease that affects so many families every year. Together we can find a cure, and together we can make a difference.
Since 2015, we have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for research and awareness programs, supported multiple cancer and medical centers, created a presence in every state and elevated Project Periwinkle to the international stage. And we have done this all while remaining completely volunteer based. No salaries, extreme fiscal responsibility and stewardship, and a strong dedication to our mission. We set out to make a difference, and together, we are making our world a better, brighter, cancer free place.
What Sets Us Apart…
We started to help people, and we make it our work to ensure that we maximize our impact everyday. 100% of the funds raised, go toward research and awareness, and we do everything we can to keep our overhead at a minimum. This starts with everyone, from our executive leadership to our staff, giving their time and not accepting compensation for their work, and we could not do what we do without our volunteers. That is what sets us apart from other charities and foundations, and we are proud of that. But more importantly, we are proud of what that enables us to do: make the biggest difference possible in the lives of others and work to eliminate a disease that affects so many lives every year.
Throughout our history, we have been committed to partnering with, supporting, and empowering others who share our values and commitments to cancer research, and those who are change leaders, innovators, and dreamers who keep pressing forward for better. This gift to MD Anderson supports the work of those who have a proven track record and who are paving the way for better outcomes, a brighter world and a future without cancer.
On our August 2022 gift to MD Anderson Cancer Center
Our History
May 2015: Project Periwinkle is formally launched.
August 2015: Project Periwinkle helps sponsor the annual Billiken 5k at Saint Louis University, supporting the Saint Louis University Cancer Center.
October 2015: Project Periwinkle's Board of Directors votes on the organization's first financial gift, approving a contribution to Saint Louis University.
April 2016: The Project Periwinkle Ambassador Program is created, expanding our reach throughout the United States.
June 2017: We become a participating charitable organization for Thrivent Choice through Thrivent Financial, allowing member of Thrivent Financial to recommend where some of Thrivent Financial's charitable outreach funds go, a program that has given more that $370 million dollars to national non-profits.
December 2017: Project Periwinkle's Board of Directors votes on the organization's second financial gift, approving a contribution to the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE.
February 2018: We formally present our financial gift to the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, NE, marking another huge milestone in our history. Our gift will help support the Gastrointestinal Research Program, contributing to stomach cancer research.
December 2018: Project Periwinkle's Board of Directors votes on the organization's third financial gift, approving a contribution to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
January 2019: We formally present our gift to MD Anderson.
March 2019: We relaunch our Ambassador Program and it now spans further than the borders of the U.S.
November 2019: Project Periwinkle’s seven member Board of Directors votes to add an eighth member of the Board, Danielle Murphy, effective February 2020.
March 2020: Project Periwinkle's Board of Directors votes on the organization's fourth financial gift, approving a contribution to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville.
May 2020: We celebrate our 5th anniversary as an organization and announce our gift to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
January 2021: Project Periwinkle's Board of Directors elects Mike Babcock to fill the board position vacancy left by Alex Eanes, effective 2/15/21, following the conclusion of Alex’s 3rd term and his decision to step down from his current role.
April 2021: Project Periwinkle again supported MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston. This time with a gift of $15,000 seed funding a study with a focus on holistic patient life measures; including reducing side effects from gastric cancer therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
November 2021: Project Periwinkle 2025 is launched, including a goal to raise $1 million by the end of our 2025 fiscal year and highlighting a deep commitment to values we have held since Day 1 that will ensure we are able to grow and see through our mission. To date (as of November 2023), a quarter million dollars has been raised.
August 2022: Project Periwinkle seed funds a new study at MD Anderson with a Phase I gift of $40,000, aimed at better predicting tumor behavior and response, and to inform more personalized treatment plans for improved outcomes for gastric cancer patients.
September 2023: Project Periwinkle launches a new donor recognition program: Innovators’ Circle. We invite those who reach a particular giving milestone to join the Project Periwinkle Innovators’ Circle, a donor recognition program honoring those who give $250 in total in a single fiscal year. Also, a new Podcast, “Impact: Project Periwinkle” is launched with episodes diving into details on our history, research progress and updates, and sharing where and how we are making an impact, and guests will join in conversation. Further in this busy month, a project paper detailing work from a study made possible with 2021 funding dollars was published, showcasing the tremendous things that came from a collaboration of surgeons at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas; the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York; Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea; and Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.
October 2023: Project Periwinkle announces a grant of $50,000 to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that will seed fund a project focused on developing a model to better enable phase recognition and strengthen surgical approaches of pancreatectomy and gastrectomy.