This donation is the second installment in a commitment to fund gastroesophageal cancer research spearheaded by Dr. Jaffer A. Ajani, Professor, GI Medical Oncology, who treated Dio at the Center for the last six months of his life. The Fund's initial donation of $117,000 in December of 2010 served as seed money that allowed Dr. Ajani to receive additional grant monies as well as several National Cancer Institute (NCI) grants with a total amount of $10 million.

This year, the Dio Cancer Fund has been the beneficiary of funds generated from the worldwide release of the Dio tribute album, "This Is Your Life." It features Dio songs-from his tenures with Rainbow, Black Sabbath and his own band Dio performed by some of metal music's biggest names, among them Anthrax, Halestorm, Rob Halford, Metallica, Mot�rhead, Glenn Hughes, Scorpions, Corey Taylor and Tenacious D. It has sold over 80,000 units since its release on April 1st. The Fund's annual awards Gala this year doubled as a preview listening party for the album, generating additional revenues.