The Hormel Institute

10/16/2026

Next Thursday, October 22, the Karl Potach Foundation will host Karl’s Legacy at The Hormel Institute, bringing people together to honor Karl and raise funds for pediatric cancer research.

This year’s pediatric cancer representative is 11-year-old Crosby.

Just one year ago, Crosby was enjoying hockey, LEGOs, traveling, and time with friends when his family received news no parent wants to hear: mixed phenotype leukemia, a rare form of leukemia with characteristics of two different types.

Since then, Crosby has faced months of chemotherapy, hospital stays, blood transfusions, and uncertainty.

Today, Crosby continues maintenance chemotherapy, and his treatment journey is far from over. But through it all, he’s finding his joy again. He’s back at school, spending time with friends, and enjoying being a kid.

As Crosby’s mom, Ashley, recently shared, “We’re grateful beyond words for where we are today. But we’re also still carrying the weight of where we’ve been, and the uncertainty of what’s ahead.”

We’re grateful for the Karl Potach family’s continued commitment to advancing research and for everyone who helps make that work possible.

Please join us for this impactful evening and support research that gives families like Crosby’s hope for the future.

📅 Thursday, October 22 | 5–9 p.m.

🎟️ Event details and tickets in the comments!

10/14/2026

Sing in the shower? Dance in the kitchen? Have a hidden talent the world needs to see? 👀

Here's your chance to put those skills to work for a great cause!

Auditions for the 2027 Eagles Cancer Telethon are coming up, and your time in the spotlight could help support cancer research at The Hormel Institute, Mayo Clinic, and Masonic Cancer!

🎶 In-person auditions: October 25, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Rochester Eagles Club.

Can't make it? Virtual auditions are open through October 31!

Ready for your moment? Find out how to audition! ⬇️

The 2026 Eagle’s Cancer Telethon is right around the corner and that means auditions are coming up soon!

10/13/2026

As part of the University of Minnesota, The Hormel Institute brings world-class cancer research to our community, creating opportunities for scientific discovery, collaboration, and an impact that reaches far beyond our own backyard.

In this episode of Minnesota Conversations, University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham sits down with Bonnie Rietz to talk about The Hormel Institute, its connection to Austin, and what the University's presence means for our community.

We're proud of the work happening right here in Austin and even prouder to be part of something making a difference well beyond it.

Watch the conversation! ⬇️

Bonnie Besse Rietz shares how The Hormel Institute at the Universit...

10/13/2026

What does it mean to carry on a legacy? For the Karl Potach Foundation, it means turning heartbreak into hope for children and families facing cancer.

In the latest episode of Wright Here, Right Now, Kurt Potach shares the story behind Karl's Legacy, introduces this year's pediatric cancer representative, Crosby, and discusses the upcoming Karl's Legacy event on October 22 at The Hormel Institute.

The episode also features Lisa Deyo of Sweet Reads Bookstore and Julie Clinefelter of the Austin Public Library, highlighting more of what's happening in our Austin community.

🎧 Kurt's conversation begins around the 21-minute mark. Tune in to hear how Karl's Legacy continues to inspire support for pediatric cancer research and the families at the heart of its mission.

🎟️ Event ticket information in the comments!

In the Season 3 Episode 39 edition of the Wright Here, Right Now podcast, I’ll be visiting with Lisa Deyo at Sweet Reads Bookstore. We’ll be talking about banned books week and an upcoming author visit.Then at the Austin Public Library I’ll talk w...

10/12/2026

The THRIVE Series continues tomorrow!

This week’s virtual session takes a closer look at obesity, health risks and treatment considerations for GLP-1s and beyond in cancer survivors with Stephanie Dixon, MD, MPH.

Join the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 6–7 p.m. CT for this free virtual conversation designed for cancer survivors and caregivers.

No commute required — just join online from wherever you are!

Learn more and register: z.umn.edu/ThriveSeries

What is the THRIVE Series?The THRIVE Series is a free, weekly series designed for cancer survivors and caregivers to learn about a variety of survivorship topics from local experts. The series includes a 4-week virtual webinar on Tuesdays in October and 1 in-person social event.Who is a Cancer Survi...

10/09/2026

Next week, The Hormel Institute Executive Director Dr. Robert Clarke and Professor Dr. Leena Hilakivi-Clarke will join researchers from around the world in South Africa for the 9th International PacRim Breast & Prostate Cancer Meeting.

Unlike traditional scientific conferences, this meeting brings researchers together to challenge current thinking, ask important questions and explore new approaches to understanding and treating cancer.

🔬 Dr. Clarke will discuss how breast cancer becomes resistant to hormone-based treatments, a major challenge in improving long-term treatment outcomes. He will also co-chair a session exploring the future of cancer research.

🔬 Dr. Hilakivi-Clarke will explore how stress and the gut microbiome may influence breast cancer, examining how factors within the body could affect the environment in which cancer grows.

Why does this matter? Because progress in cancer research doesn't happen in isolation. It takes researchers sharing what they've learned, questioning what we think we know, and working together to find better answers.

10/08/2026

Karl Potach was just two years old when he was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer. By age four, he had faced three tumors, multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation.

Through it all, Karl's faith was a source of strength. His family remembers him often offering reassurance with words far beyond his years: “Don't cry, Jesus will take care of me.”

Karl's life was far too short, but his story continues to make a difference.

For 29 years, the Karl Potach Foundation has brought people together to support pediatric cancer research, raising more than $1.7 million. What began with one little boy's story has become a legacy of love, hope and a community determined to give more children the chance to celebrate birthdays, reach milestones, and simply be kids.

We invite you to be part of that legacy. 💛

🎟️ Tickets and event details in the comments.

10/08/2026

A big thank you to our friends at Runnings in Austin for including The Hormel Institute in last night's Ladies Night! 💗

We're grateful for community partners who believe in the importance of cancer research and find ways to support the work happening right here in Austin.

To everyone who stopped by, shopped or took a moment to visit with our team, thank you! It's the generosity of businesses and individuals throughout our community that helps move research forward.

And a special thank you to our team members who spent their evening representing the Institute and connecting with our community!

10/07/2026

We’re grateful for friends in our community who choose to invest in cancer research. 💗

Tonight, our friends at Runnings in Austin are hosting Ladies Night from 4–7 p.m., with a portion of proceeds from Ladies Night buckets supporting cancer research at The Hormel Institute.

We’re incredibly thankful to Runnings for choosing to support our work and to every person who shops, participates and helps turn that generosity into meaningful support for cancer research.

Our team will be at Runnings in Austin tonight, so stop by and say hello!

Research is made possible by people who believe in it. Thank you for being part of the work.

10/06/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but awareness is only part of the story.

Today, the five-year relative survival rate for localized breast cancer is 99.3%; progress made possible by decades of research. But when breast cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, that rate drops to 31%.

There is still more work to do. And behind every statistic is a person.

This month, we want to recognize the people at the heart of breast cancer research. If breast cancer has impacted someone you love, share their name, story or photo in the comments — whether they are living with breast cancer, celebrating survivorship or someone you carry with you in memory.

Research moves us forward. People are the reason why.

Sources: National Cancer Institute (SEER); American Cancer Society