08-13-2008

The Kosten Foundation is a collaborative effort between the Herb Kosten Family and the University of Tennessee, Memphis.  Inspired by the death of Mr. Kosten due to pancreatic disease and the lack of community support and research progress toward this disease, his family initiated a grass-roots fundraising effort in the Memphis community.  Yearly tennis tournaments (a favorite sport of Mr. Kosten) have yielded generous funding toward the fight against pancreatic cancer in the mid-south community. 

The mission of the Kosten foundation is four-fold:

• To establish support and a forum for communication amongst those afflicted with pancreatic cancer via support group meetings and this website.
• To assist with the training of future pancreatic surgeons.
• To provide funding for a yearly Memphis public lecture on pancreatic cancer delivered by a nationally and/or internationally renowned expert on the disease.
• To provide funding for clinical and basic research toward improving outcomes of those afflicted with pancreatic cancer.

It is our sincere hope that we provide an informative, compassionate and human approach toward improving the quality of life for those afflicted with pancreatic cancer and their families.  Further, through research efforts, it is our very realistic passion that we find a path to the early diagnosis and cure of pancreatic cancer in our lifetimes.