Phil Knight
Matthew Staver | Bloomberg | Getty images
Nike The co-founder Phil Knight donates $ 2 billion to the Knight Cancer Institute in Oregon Health and Science University, the biggest donation of American university, college or health, according to the Knight Foundation.
The Foundation said Thursday the gift that will be used to move the scientific approach to cancer treatment, research and patient care results.
As part of the gift, the knights will join forces in search of cancer cancer, Dr. Brian Druker.
Ten years ago, Druker and Ohsu took up a challenge to raise $ 500 million for cancer research, and the Knights signed the dollar for a dollar.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in the next stage of the revolutionary vision led by Druker of research, diagnosis, treatment, care, and one day, eradication,” Phil and Penny Knight said in a statement. “We could not be more enthusiastic about the transformational potential of this work for humanity.”
Phil and Penny Knight with Dr. Brian Druker of the Ohsu Knight Cancer Institute.
Gracious Ohsu Knight Cancer Institute.
Knight’s fortune stems from his success with the Swoosh, the company he founded in 1964.
Initially called Blue Ribbon Sports, the company started humbly, with Knight selling sneakers out of the trunk of his car, when he told his 2016 memories, “Shoe Dog”.
Nike became a public in December 1980 and quickly became the most dominant sneaker brand, joined forces with some of the best sports athletes.
During Knight’s mandate to the public company, from its IPO to its retirement in June 2016, Nike shares soaked almost 30,500%.
Although Nike Stock had a few painful years, down more than 50% of its peak at the end of 2021, it remains the most precious public company of sports shoes, valued at more than $ 110 billion.
The knights are regularly on lists of better philanthropes. In May, Time Magazine estimated their lives at $ 3.6 billion, including $ 370 million offered in 2024.
According to the latest tax documents from the Knight Foundation, the foundation held more than $ 5 billion in assets at the end of 2023.
“I wanted to build something that was mine, something I could indicate and say: I did that. It was the only way I saw to make life significant,” Knight said in his 2016 memories.
Correction: The title of this story has been updated to correct that Phil Knight makes a donation to the Knight Cancer Institute of Oregon Health and Science University. A previous version disturbed the institution.