October 20 event at Capitale NYC will honor Dr. Diane Simeone and Champions of Hope supporting PRECEDE’s mission
NEW YORK, NY (October 13, 2026) – With growing momentum in pancreatic cancer research and new advances in early detection, PRECEDE will host its 2026 Annual Gala, Hope Accelerated: Envisioning a Future Without Pancreatic Cancer, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Capitale NYC.
The evening will bring together leading scientists, philanthropists, advocates, patients and supporters to raise critical funds for PRECEDE’s work to transform the early detection and prevention of pancreatic cancer. Funds raised through the Gala will support the PRECEDE Consortium, a global effort bringing together researchers, institutions and individuals at increased risk for pancreatic cancer to advance earlier detection, improve screening and create new opportunities for intervention.
Today, more than 12,750 high-risk participants are enrolled through PRECEDE’s network of more than 65 institutions worldwide, creating one of the largest longitudinal cohorts dedicated to understanding pancreatic cancer risk and identifying the disease at its earliest stages.
“Pancreatic cancer is at an important inflection point, with advances in research, treatment and early detection creating new momentum,” said Dr. Diane Simeone, Director of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health and Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of PRECEDE. “If we want to fundamentally change outcomes, we have to find the disease earlier, when there is the greatest opportunity to intervene. That is the work PRECEDE was created to accelerate.”
Journalist Kate Bolduan will return as emcee for the evening, which will celebrate individuals whose leadership, scientific contributions and support have helped advance PRECEDE’s mission.
The 2026 honorees include:
Nobility in Science Award – Dr. Diane Simeone
Dr. Diane Simeone is Director of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, where she holds the Koman Family Presidential Director’s Chair and serves as a Professor of Surgery and Pharmacology. An internationally recognized pancreatic surgeon and scientist, Dr. Simeone has dedicated her career to advancing the understanding, early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Simeone is the founder and leader of PRECEDE, which has grown into a global network focused on identifying pancreatic cancer earlier in people at increased risk. Her research has contributed to major advances in the understanding of pancreatic cancer biology, including work involving pancreatic cancer stem cells, tumor biology and new approaches to clinical research.
Champions of Hope Award – Tracy Chen
Tracy Chen spent more than 20 years in healthcare and diagnostics, with experience spanning commercial leadership, patient advocacy and programs designed to better support patients and expand access to care. In recent years, she has focused increasingly on philanthropy and organizations working to advance human health and strengthen communities.
Chen serves on the Board of Directors of the PRECEDE Foundation and has co-chaired the Foundation’s Annual Gala since its inaugural event in 2025. She has played an important role in growing the Gala and expanding engagement across healthcare, life sciences, research and philanthropy.
Champions of Hope Award – Tom Schoenherr
Tom Schoenherr is Chief Executive Officer of Tempus Diagnostics, where he leads the unified diagnostics business formed through the integration of Tempus and Ambry Genetics. Previously, he served as CEO and a board member of Ambry Genetics.
Across nearly three decades in diagnostics and healthcare technology, Schoenherr has built and led organizations focused on advancing diagnostic technologies, precision medicine and patient care. He has also been a dedicated supporter of PRECEDE, helping broaden awareness of its mission across the diagnostics and life sciences community.
Champions of Hope Award – Drs. Rachel and John Hart
Drs. Rachel and John Hart are retired veterinarians who dedicated their professional lives to caring for animals and the families who love them. John practiced Internal Medicine, while Rachel worked as a General Practitioner, and both have been active supporters of organizations and causes close to their hearts.
After learning about PRECEDE’s mission, the Harts became committed supporters of the organization and its focus on earlier detection. Their connection to the cause is also personal, having lost a close colleague to pancreatic cancer. Their support reflects a shared belief in the importance of research, earlier diagnosis and continued progress for pancreatic cancer patients and families.
“This year’s honorees reflect the extraordinary community helping move PRECEDE’s mission forward,” said Margaret Caspler, President and CEO of PRECEDE. “Diane has laid out an ambitious roadmap toward a more than 50 percent survival rate, and reaching that goal will require continued investment in research, collaboration and early detection. Every dollar helps advance that work, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who supports it.”
The Gala comes as PRECEDE continues to expand its international network and deepen its research into the earliest stages of pancreatic cancer. By combining longitudinal clinical data, biospecimens, imaging and other information from individuals at increased risk, researchers are working to better understand who develops pancreatic cancer, identify the earliest signs of disease and develop strategies that may allow clinicians to intervene sooner.
“I know personally what early detection can mean,” said Jamie Brickell, President of the PRECEDE Foundation Board of Directors. “My pancreatic cancer was found early enough for surgery and treatment, and that experience is why PRECEDE’s mission is so important to me. The momentum we are seeing today gives me real hope for what is possible.”
The evening will also provide an opportunity to recognize the researchers, supporters and advocates helping move the field forward and to build continued philanthropic support for PRECEDE Foundation’s mission.
The 2026 Gala is made possible through the generous support of AmbryGenetics, a Tempus Company, ClearNote Health, Kirkland & Ellis, Brookfield, Eversheds Sutherland, Citizens Bank, RJK Commercial Real Estate, Troutman Pepper Locke, Procopio Companies, Jay Riccardo Benavides, Ivy & Marc Duneier, Ridge Real Estate Partners, and Citigroup.
To purchase tickets, become a sponsor or make a donation, visit our website.
About the PRECEDE Foundation
The PRECEDE Foundation supports the work of the PRECEDE Consortium, an international network of more than 65 academic medical centers working collaboratively to advance the early detection and prevention of pancreatic cancer.
Since launching in 2020, PRECEDE has enrolled more than 12,000 individuals at increased risk for pancreatic cancer, creating a growing longitudinal cohort that combines clinical data, imaging, biospecimens and other information to help researchers better understand risk and identify pancreatic cancer at its earliest stages.
The PRECEDE Consortium is headquartered at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego.
For more information about the PRECEDE Foundation or the 2026 Gala, please contact Jessica Forres at jessica@ekkopr.com.
