Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation

In September of 2000, Thomas G. Labrecque, former Chairman and CEO of the Chase Manhattan Corporation, was diagnosed with lung cancer. A lifelong nonsmoker who was in good health prior to his diagnosis, Tom died eight weeks later at the age of 62.

In both his career and his private life, Tom lived by the philosophy that one should always work hard and remember to give back to society. His untimely death and lifelong dedication to bettering his community motivated the Labrecque family to establish the Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation as a memorial that would help spread awareness that lung cancer can affect us all - smokers, nonsmokers and former smokers alike.

In April 2003, the Foundation held the first annual Thomas G. Labrecque Classic race in New York City to spread awareness of the deadly disease that took Tom’s life and to raise critical research funds to help save the lives of others. Over 5,000 individuals came to walk or run for lung cancer and together raised more than $500,000 for the cause.  Now in its eigth year, the Annual Thomas G. Labrecque Classic has to date raised over $6.5 million for early detection lung cancer research and awareness.

The Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation funded grants through the UALC research program from 2005-2009 at institutions such as Columbia University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, University of Louisville, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and USC/Norris Cancer Center.