Agi Hirshberg, Founder
Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
In 1998, after her late husband, Ron Hirshberg, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, Agi established the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. The Foundation was the first of its kind to focus exclusively on this disease and lead research efforts globally. Her vision for the organization became its mission statement, highlighting five pillars to address a demand for research, the needs of patients, and the goal of discovering a cure.
Under Agi’s direction, the organization established and funded a 3-prong research effort: basic science, translational research, and a pancreas tissue bank at UCLA. She enlisted oncologists, surgeons, and researchers immersed in this field, and together they forged a new path forward. In 2000, a national seed grant program was added, funding new concepts of research to lead to National Institute of Health (NIH) funding. The Seed Grant Program encouraged a collaborative approach in the medical community and broadened the landscape of research entirely. To date, Seed Grant awardees have received millions of dollars of NIH funding in treatment, immunotherapy, diagnostics, prevention, and basic science. Agi’s deep commitment to research firmly placed pancreatic cancer on the world stage.
In addition to focusing on research, at the heart of the Foundation was Agi’s compassion and drive to support survivors and their loved ones. In 1999, she launched a program with Cancer Care, Inc. to offer financial assistance to low-income patients. By 2005, the Foundation’s first Symposium educated families on the latest updates in treatment, surgery, and research. An annual event, the Symposium brings patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers together in an intimate environment to educate, empower, and engage. Over the years, Agi has continued to expand the Hirshberg Foundation’s patient programs to include educational webinars, a casual summer gathering, and a partnership with the Simms/ Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology providing psychosocial support.
In 2015, the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases opened, providing a critical hub for advancing pancreatic cancer research and treatment breakthroughs. For nearly a decade, the Center has remained one of the nation’s premier comprehensive programs for pancreatic diseases. With a focus on personalized treatment from a collaborative medical team, the Center delivers some of the best results in the nation.
In 2022, the Hirshberg Foundation commemorated its 25th anniversary. Today, the Foundation’s Never Give Up mantra represents Agi’s unwavering commitment to cure pancreatic cancer and supporting the families facing this disease.
As a respected member of both the business and financial community in Los Angeles, she is on the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Board of Visitors, has served on the board of the UCLA School of Nursing and is the past president of UCLA Women in Philanthropy. Before the Foundation, her business background includes four decades of top-level management in marketing and design in the Apparel and Sporting Goods Industries.
Agi was born in Hungary, and in 1956, at age 10, immigrated to the United States with her parents Edmund, a Holocaust survivor, and her beautiful mom, Sara. Agi was educated in public schools and received her bachelor’s degree at Woodbury University in Business and Design. Her large family includes Lisa and Mike and Ron’s children, Jon and Lisa Hirshberg, along with ten grandchildren.