Masonic Cancer Center: Unlocking “The Da Vinci Code” of Cancer
If people know about the Masons, it’s typically as the cryptic treasure-hiders in best-selling action novels. Fraternal organizations just aren’t thought of as newsworthy. So when Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC), the charitable giving arm of the local organization, made the largest financial commitment ever to the University of Minnesota (U of M) in 2008, it turned to RPR.
Partnering with the University of Minnesota, RPR helped MMC announce the donation and newly renamed Masonic Cancer Center at a high-profile news event — complete with a bagpipe marching band. Hundreds of health care thought leaders and dignitaries attended, and it was the most covered event in the news that day, including the major television and radio stations, daily newspapers and philanthropy trades. For MMC, the event was a success, as the organization shared the spotlight with the U of M in print and broadcast coverage reaching 1.3 million impressions.
In doing so, it introduced the community to MMC’s 30-year history and $100 million dollar legacy specifically to unlock the “code” to curing cancer.