SYRACUSE -- Five local women who died from breast cancer are being honored through special grants awarded to Upstate Medical University.

The Carol M. Baldwin Fund for Breast Cancer research has awarded $200,000 to the University for breast cancer research and a lectureship. The goal is to help fund breast cancer research at Upstate's Cancer Research Institute.

"Our ultimate goal in finding a cure for breast cancer is still elusive and the disease continues to take the lives of our grandmothers, moms, sisters and daughters," said Elizabeth Baldwin, executive director of the Baldwin Fund. "But we will not be deterred in our fight against this disease. The research support we provide in the names of these women will help us battle this disease for future generations of women."

The research grants honor three sisters: Nancy J. Schwenn Mack, of Cortland who died in 2008 at age 45; Pamela J. Schwenn Davis of Carlisle who died in 2000 at 45, and Cynthia J. Schwenn Keelhar of Dryden, who died in 1993 at age 40. They all women endured numerous cancer treatments and surgeries, including mastectomies and stem cell transplants.

The grants are also in memory of Marsha Baris, who died in 2009 at age 49, and Eleanor Sawmiller Schardt, who died in 2002 at age 78.

Grants to support the endowed lectureships on breast cancer research are being made in the honor of two cancer survivors: Lynn Conroy of Cazenovia and Lynn Schween Johnson, sister the three Schween sisters who died from breast cancer. After being encouraged by her sisters, Lynn had a bilateral mastectomy after she was genetically tested and found to be a significant risk for breast cancer. Lynn credits her genetic testing with saving her life.

"We are grateful for the Baldwin Fund's continued support for Upstate's breast cancer research program," said Debashis Ghosh, MSc, Ph.D., Upstate professor of pharmacology and a member of the Cancer Research Institute faculty. "These funds, in the names of those who have died and survived breast cancer, remind us of the toll a diagnosis of cancer has on families and help us in our pursuit for finding better treatments and ultimately a cure."

The Baldwin Fund will likely raise additional money for Upstate through its annual Ride for Research. The event will be held on September 11th. The ride, featuring more than 600 riders, begins at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in downtown Syracuse. They are expected to raise more than $80,000. A 2011 merlot-colored Harley Davidson, provided by Performance Harley-Davidson of Syracuse, will be raffled off to benefit breast cancer research.

Since the 2002, the Baldwin Fund has contributed more than $1.5 million to Upstate researchers.