Listwin Family Foundation funds the Early Detection Initiative at the Hutchinson Center

In Don Listwin's world, impossible problems don't exist.

"Engineers think there's no problem so big that it can't be solved with the right amount of leadership, intellect and time," said Listwin, an electrical engineer and software developer.

That's why Listwin's relationship with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has convinced him that cancer — which claimed his mother's life — can be defeated. After visiting the Center and talking with scientists, including Hutchinson Center Director Dr. Lee Hartwell, Listwin said he learned that "cancer is not just a science problem" anymore.

"With all the new data being generated, including the exploration of the human genome, it's also an engineering problem," said Listwin. "I'm very excited about Dr. Hartwell's focus on the role technology can play in helping identify and analyze biological clues to cancer."

Motivated by the loss of his mother to ovarian cancer, Listwin has already donated $5 million through the Listwin Family Foundation to the Hutchinson Center for early cancer detection research. In addition, the foundation will donate another $7 million over in the next few years.

The donations have helped jump-start the center's Early Detection and Intervention Initiative, a major new research effort that seeks to identify protein signatures in the blood that foretell the risk, presence and prognosis of cancer. One of the initiative's ultimate goals is to develop simple blood tests that will make it possible to detect cancer at such early stages that the disease can be eliminated before the first symptom ever emerges.

Together, Listwin's donations are helping make the Center a leader in early detection and have helped attract millions of dollars in funding from other donors for early detection efforts.

Listwin discovered the Center while surfing the Internet for ways to support the fight against cancer in honor of his mother. When he received an almost instant response from the Center to an e-mail request for more information — on a Saturday — he was impressed enough to begin forming a relationship.

The more contact Listwin has had with the Center and its staff, the greater his commitment. He has joined the board of directors, serves on the Strategic Implementations Committee and has become an ambassador for the Center in Silicon Valley.

"With me, everything is about the people," Listwin said. "As I meet more people, I become more and more impressed with Fred Hutchinson [Cancer Research Center]."

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