In addition to the four annual events we host with the Big 5 Men’s Basketball Coaches, we also partner with school and youth coaches and community leaders on a number of fundraisers and tournaments throughout the year.
Since 1996, Coaches vs. Cancer of Philadelphia has raised over $21 million to help eradicate cancer by funding lifesaving research and improve the lives of those affected by this disease. Fran Dunphy and Phil Martelli started this chapter and since 1996, 20 Philadelphia Big 5 Men’s Basketball Coaches and dozens of school and youth coaches of all sports have been determined to crush cancer!
A special thank you to Philadelphia’s current Big 5 Men’s Basketball Coaches – Steve Donahue (University of Pennsylvania), Fran Dunphy (La Salle University), Adam Fisher (Temple University), Billy Lange (Saint Joseph’s University), Kyle Neptune (Villanova University), and Zach Spiker (Drexel University).
Learn More About Our Program History
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge® communities offer a home away from home for people facing cancer and their caregivers when cancer treatment is far away. Our 30+ Hope Lodge communities provide a free place to stay during treatment so people with cancer can focus on getting better. These communities provide comfortable guest suites with private baths, as well as inviting spaces with all the comforts of home, including a communal kitchen, dining area, laundry rooms, and places to gather or find a quiet respite – all at no cost to guests.
Hope Lodge guests don’t just find a place to stay – they find a community of support and an emotional connection with others facing the same journey.
Although a majority of our fundraising supports the Philadelphia Hope Lodge, Coaches vs. Cancer is an American Cancer Society program, and we also help fund other programs and services like cutting-edge cancer research, education and prevention, and access to care.
Learn more about the American Cancer SocietyFor more than 10 decades, the American Cancer Society has been dedicated to pursuing better outcomes for every cancer, every life. Today, more people are surviving cancer than ever before, but there is still work to be done. Join us, support us, and help us end cancer as we know it, for everyone.
towards cancer research
increase in five-year survival rate for all cancers combined
lives touched in 2023
