On Thursday, Aug. 20, the V Foundation is set to host an inspirational evening showcasing its work.
The event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s USANA Center of Excellence, located at 1 Victory Lane in Park City. Guests can look forward to cocktails, a sit-down dinner provided by Rebekah’s Kitchen, a live auction and a paddle raise. Tickets are $175, and 100% of all direct donations go straight to the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
The night will feature Noah Elliott, a two-time gold medal Paralympic snowboarder whose inspirational story is remarkable. Elliott overcame bone cancer and went on to reach the very top of his sport. His resilience is proof of what’s possible when courage meets opportunity, and he embodies everything this cause stands for.
Attendees will also hear from the evening’s featured V Foundation grant recipient, Dr. Melissa Reeves from the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Meeting a researcher face-to-face transforms “cancer research” from an abstract idea into something real and tangible, a reminder of exactly where support goes and who it helps.
The V Foundation was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano, a national champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer inducted in 2023. Valvano was known for his tactical brilliance, but people remember him most for his warmth, wit and boundless energy.
When Valvano faced his own battle with cancer, he turned his fight into a mission that would outlive him. Decades after his passing, his words and his spirit continue to inspire and, most importantly, save lives.
Since 1993, the V Foundation has awarded more than $458 million in grants to cancer research nationwide. That amount has parlayed into an additional $22 billion by the researchers. Thanks to a donor-funded endowment that covers administrative costs, every direct donation goes entirely to the science.
For organizer and V Foundation Board member Nancy Major Romanzi, M.D., this cause is deeply personal. She and her husband, Ken, have been connected to the V Foundation for 25 years and were introduced to its mission by Coach Mike Krzyzewski — the legendary former Duke Men’s Basketball coach and USA Olympic men’s basketball coach.
Like so many families, the Romanzis have felt the devastating weight of losing loved ones to cancer, and that grief became a catalyst for deeper involvement. Wanting to do more than simply support from the sidelines, Major Romanzi joined the V Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2023. Since then, she has worked to raise awareness for the foundation and shine a light on its vital role in funding the next generation of scientists dedicated to curing cancer.
“The V Foundation was started to give these young scientists with really great ideas the opportunity to test their hypothesis,” Major Romanzi explained. “They go through a very rigorous scientific evaluation.”
The V Foundation’s approach doesn’t limit funding to one type of cancer or one age group, which means projects on everything from breast and prostate cancer to rarer forms can find the support they need. That flexibility creates a ripple effect that lasts for years.
“Currently, the five-year survival rate across the board of combined cancers is 70%,” Major Romanzi shared. “Compared to the late ’70s, it was less than 50%. People are surviving a lot longer. Today, in the current census, there are 18.6 million cancer survivors. “
Sponsors included Laurie Wing of Summit Sotheby’s, Wasatch Audio Visual & Productions and Midfirst Private Bank.
Purchase tickets online at https://vfoundation.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2026ParkCityMeetstheVFoundationforCancerResearch/tabid/1589949/Default.aspx