Wat's your name, title, position with the organization, etc.? Bonnie Mitten, Board Member of Royal Dames of Cancer Research.

Who are the members of your family? Are they also involved in volunteering? Husband Robert Mitten supports my work and provides financial support for the organization

How long have you lived in the community? What is your favorite thing about living here? 19 years; my favorite thing about living in Hawk's Landing is the people. We've made wonderful friends during the time that we lived here. Also, we love the beauty and security of the community.  

Nonprofit organization name or cause & contact information: Royal Dames of Cancer Research — supports education and research sciences to improve and ultimately eradicate cancer.  

Contact: Carole Nugent, President, (954) 554-7855 

What is the goal/mission of your organization? The Royal Dames of Cancer Research Inc. (Royal Dames), a Fort Lauderdale-based, female-led, all-volunteer not-for-profit organization, exists to support groundbreaking research being conducted at the Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research (RGI) at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) to advance the understanding and treatment of the most aggressive forms of cancer. For nearly 55 years, the Royal Dames’ members have been driven by a collective belief that “mankind is not destined to die from cancer.” 

What services and/or programs are offered? Through a strategic focus on revenue generation through membership dues and contributions, fundraising events, and programming, the Royal Dames have directed more than $4.9 million to fund basic research and develop drug therapies for brain, breast, ovarian, prostate, pediatric, and skin cancers, among others. 

How are you involved with the organization? How long have you been involved? Since 2017, I have been involved with this important organization, initially as a member supporting the organization financially and through working on fundraising events. In 2018, I joined the Board to assist the organization with strategic planning, management and fundraising events.

Why did you choose to launch or volunteer for this specific organization or fundraising effort? I was really impressed with this group of highly dedicated women whose mission was to raise funds for this critical cause, but do so in ways that make the events and the friendships we gain so rewarding. 

Could you describe any fundraisers or events that support the organization? Our upcoming event is our “Ahoy” Fall Luncheon, which will be held on September 30 at the Tower Club in Fort Lauderdale. Then, on November 23, we will hold our largest fundraiser, our Tiara Ball. This year’s theme is “Fly Me to the Moon,” and it will be held at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. We have other fundraisers throughout the year, but we welcome anyone interested to visit our website to find more information and join us for these events.

How can others in your community get involved? We are actively looking for new members to join our organization. Additionally, we invite sponsors to support our fundraising efforts. Lastly, our fundraising events can be a wonderful way to get to know the organization and our efforts to help the fight against cancer. Feel free to email me if you’d like to get involved. 

Is there any other information you would like to share about your organization or group? In 2023, bolstered by the generous support from the Royal Dames, the research team at RGI made its most promising drug discovery to date: a patented compound, code-named F16, which is showing extremely promising results in pre-clinical testing for the treatment of glioblastoma (brain cancer). The patented compound is being renamed RD1 in tribute to the Royal Dames’ longstanding support.