Strength in Numbers
The human mind loves symmetry. And my mind is no exception.
Not long after I became president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in 2022, I sat down with Penny Voss, OMRF’s vice president of philanthropy and community relations. Penny and I were discussing OMRF’s 75th anniversary, which had happened the previous year. She and her team had mapped out a series of activities to celebrate the milestone, but the Covid-19 pandemic had short-circuited that plan.
As we were talking, I started doing a little math. If OMRF was founded in 1946, that meant we’d turn 77 in 2023. In studying up on my new home state, I’d just learned that Oklahoma has 77 counties. Like a lightbulb switching on, the path forward became clear to me: We needed to commemorate OMRF’s 77th year by visiting all 77 of Oklahoma’s counties.
Well, in 2023, that’s what we did. Or started to do.
We kicked off our 77 for 77 campaign in August, which marked the 77th anniversary of our founding. In the ensuing 12 months – which, as of this writing, we’re still in the midst of – we’re traveling the state to thank donors, promote OMRF and build support for medical research.
Already, it’s been a fantastic journey. The number and breadth of Oklahomans we’ve met has been eye opening. From former patients to high school biology students, each has a story and a perspective that has reminded me of the many different ways we can serve the people of this state.
More than anything, this experience has underscored a truth that should have been obvious to me. While we at OMRF spend our days, weeks, months and years focused on conducting biomedical research and delivering compassionate, science-driven clinical care, when you strip it all away, our mission is about one thing: people. The people we try to help. The people who help us. The people who make OMRF all that we are today.
So, in honor of our 77th anniversary, this annual report will introduce you to 77 of those people. Each plays a different role in our narrative, with a unique voice and way they connect to OMRF’s mission. But taken together, they paint a rich portrait of the community that makes up OMRF today.
There are countless other folks we could have included, not only from our present, but also from our past. However, especially in this year, 77 seemed like the perfect number to show who we are: Oklahoma’s medical research foundation.
Andrew S. Weyrich
