The Joe Andruzzi Foundation

Founded by former Andruzzi and his wife Jen in 2008, the Joe Andruzzi Foundation grew out of Joe’s own successful battle with cancer and the couple’s ongoing work with young cancer patients. In 2007, Joe was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Burkitt’s lymphoma, ending his football career. Joe is now cancer free, but a new passion grew from his own cancer experience: helping other patients and their families. After witnessing first-hand the stress cancer can cause, Joe and Jen created a foundation to help cancer patients and their families meet life’s day-to-day challenges.  The Joe Andruzzi Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to patients and families, helping them focus on recovery – not bills. It also funds research at Boston Children’s Hospital, building on the Andruzzis’ longstanding commitment to cutting edge pediatric brain cancer research. In 2003, Joe and Jen founded the C.J. Buckley Cancer Research Fund at Children’s in memory of a young friend who suffered a brain tumor. C.J.’s spirit inspired the Andruzzis to support the innovative work of Dr. Mark Kieran, Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Children’s, whose work centers on the molecular nature of pediatric brain tumors, novel therapies and surgical alternatives, with the aim of making treatment more accessible to all. They also strive to keep families positive through the Foundation’s (Up)Beat cancer initiative, organizing outings and visits with New England’s professional athletes. The Foundation believes laughter is the best medicine, and aims to help families forget cancer now and then – through fun, humor and good times.