48 Years of Giving Hope

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The MACC Fund has spent the last 48 years raising critical funding for groundbreaking cancer and related blood disorder research to give hope to kids battling the diseases. Co-founded by Eddie Doucette, the first official voice of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jon McGlocklin, a Wisconsin Athletic and Indiana University Hall of Famer, the MACC Fund has helped dramatically increase childhood cancer survival rates from 20% in 1976 to 80% today.

THE BIRTH OF THE MACC FUND

After Doucette’s son, Brett, was diagnosed with leukemia in 1975, facing a five-year survival rate of 66%, Brett’s odds of survival were slim… and that’s when Doucette developed relationships with several members of the medical staff at Milwaukee Children’s Hospital, learning that one of the biggest challenges in combatting childhood cancer locally was a lack of funding. The National Leukemia Society reached out a short time later to Eddie after hearing about his son’s battle and his connection to the Milwaukee Bucks. In one of his conversations, Eddie learned that while there were great organizations like the National Leukemia Society, only a small percentage of every dollar donated to them would make it back to the Milwaukee Area.

Eddie continued his quest for information, and after meetings with Dr. Donald Pinkel, the first director and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Dr. Jim Casper of what is today’s Medical College of Wisconsin, it became apparent to him that an organization based in Wisconsin was needed. That’s when Eddie and his lifelong friend and Milwaukee Bucks player, Jon McGlocklin started making plans for a charity.

On December 10, 1976, the Milwaukee Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (the MACC Fund) was founded on the court at halftime of a Milwaukee Bucks game – the night that Jon McGlocklin retired from the NBA. Comprised of athletes, local business leaders, and local celebrities, the MACC Fund set out to make a difference by giving hope through research to children with cancer. When Jon and Eddie created the MACC Fund, they had no idea that their little charity would take off. Following rapid and significant growth in the early years, the acronym of the MACC Fund appropriately changed to Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. Undoubtedly, the MACC Fund took off in large part thanks to the reputations of both Eddie and Jon, but also because of the support of the Milwaukee Bucks and their fans..