Mann Fund Honors Satterwhite With Cancer Grant

The Rema Hort Mann Fund presented its inaugural Artists Living with Cancer Grant to visual artist Jacolby Satterwhite at its 30th Anniversary Gala.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Cancer

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of an open paint tube beside a folded blanket on a wooden stool, set against a quiet rooftop sky. — The Rema Hort Mann Fund presented visual artist Jacolby Satterwhite, a two-time cancer survivor, with its inaugural $25,000 Artists Living with Cancer Grant on October 28. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

On October 28, 2026, the Rema Hort Mann Fund awarded visual artist Jacolby Satterwhite the inaugural Artists Living with Cancer Grant, a $25,000 special recognition grant, at its 30th Anniversary Gala at Tribeca Rooftop. The gala raised $1.5 million toward the fund's expanded grant portfolio.

Why it matters

The grant addresses financial strain faced by artists during cancer treatment, a need the Rema Hort Mann Fund has sought to meet since its founding. Satterwhite's own experience as a two-time cancer survivor shaped the program's creation.

The Rema Hort Mann Fund reports $9.5 million in rapid-response funding over three decades to more than 650 emerging artists and 2,400 cancer patients. Each Artists Living with Cancer Grant provides at least $10,000 in unrestricted funds to 10 New York City-area visual artists, and how the $1.5 million gala total will be divided among programs remains unspecified.

The players

Jacolby Satterwhite

Jacolby Satterwhite is a visual artist and two-time cancer survivor whose health experience inspired the Artists Living with Cancer Grant.

Rema Hort Mann Fund

The Rema Hort Mann Fund is a New York-based organization established in 1995 to provide financial assistance to artists and cancer patients.

Courtney J. Martin

Courtney J. Martin is the executive director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation who presented the grant to Satterwhite.

The details

Satterwhite, a two-time cancer survivor diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma at age 11 or 12, received the $25,000 award from Courtney J. Martin, executive director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. More than 300 art supporters, collectors, and advocates attended the gala, which included a benefit auction in partnership with Phillips and honored Susan Hort with the Legacy Award.

1995: The Rema Hort Mann Fund was established in memory of Rema Hort Mann.
October 28, 2026: The 30th Anniversary Gala was held at Tribeca Rooftop, where the grant was presented.

Health Landscape

Financial support programs for artists during illness are a small but established niche within the broader cancer care ecosystem, which has historically relied on insurance and patient-directed aid. This grant extends the Rema Hort Mann Fund's model of direct, unrestricted assistance to a population that existing health coverage often does not address.

Artists undergoing cancer treatment in the New York City area may apply for unrestricted funds of at least $10,000 through the Artists Living with Cancer Grant. The program offers direct financial relief that can ease treatment-related costs while patients continue working.

The takeaway

Financial hardship during cancer treatment can affect creative professionals who lack employer benefits, and targeted grants offer one avenue of relief. Readers working in the arts or supporting artists can consider the role that unrestricted funding plays in sustaining careers through illness.