Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund Donates $100,000 For Gastric Cancer Research

After donating $100,000 to a Houston cancer center in September, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has written another sizable check.

The charity, founded in memory of the late singer, recently presented the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research with a check for $100,000, bringing the organization's total gift to $400,000.

The money will be used for gastric cancer research at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn. Dio died of gastric cancer in 2010. Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, medical director of the Dio Cancer Fund, presented the donation and spoke at the recent T.J. Martell Foundation Honors Gala in New York.

"Cancer is a disgusting disease that needlessly robs us of loved ones and family members," Kapoor said. "We must find better ways to screen patients for cancer, and it is vital that we motivate people to get themselves checked and know the risks and preventative measures for all forms of cancer. Our fund's mission is to stop cancer before it starts."

The fifth anniversary of Dio's passing is next May, and a series of events is being planned in Los Angeles. Dio's widow Wendy says, "Ronnie would be so very proud of all of these efforts made in his name. Early detection saves lives, and one day, we will find a cure for this terrible disease."

Since its inception in 2010, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has raised over $750,000 to help with cancer prevention, research and education.