Founded in 1947, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has since then been committed towards giving children and adults with cancer with the best kind of treatment possible while at the same time developing cures for tomorrow with the help of cutting-edge research. A part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center under the National Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber is a major affiliate of the Harvard Medical School. Situated in Boston's Longwood Medical Area, the institute has over 3,600 employees and rakes in annual revenues amounting to around $800 million. Involved in over 700 clinical trials, the institute also sees nearly 300,000 visits from both children and adult patients each year.

An affiliate itself, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute works with a number of partners and affiliates to realize its goals. Some of its clinical affiliates include the Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Boston Children's Hospital, the Jimmy Fund Clinic, and the Partners Healthcare System. The Jimmu Fund is a principal charity supported by the Institute in honor of one of Dana-Farber's child patients.