About Us
Mission
The mission of the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) is to advocate for sarcoma patients by funding research and by increasing awareness about the disease. The organization raises money to privately fund grants for sarcoma researchers and conducts education and advocacy efforts on behalf of sarcoma patients.
Our Beginning
The spark that ignited the start of the SFA was the diagnosis of then 3-year-old Jeffrey Thornton with sarcoma. His parents, Dr. Mark and Patricia Thornton, along with physician, Dr. John Brooks, were motivated to act not only to help treat his cancer but others’ as well. Grappling with the Jeffrey’s diagnosis, they found there wasn’t a national patient advocacy and research organization dedicated to sarcoma patients and their families. They sought to fill that void.
The Sarcoma Foundation of America was founded in 2000 and became recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2001.
Through these humble beginnings, the SFA has grown exponentially, and is the only national prominent charitable organization focused on the mission of finding new and better therapies to treat sarcoma. Today’s SFA has attracted thousands of members from across the nation and around the world with our work to advocate for sarcoma patients and their families and to find the cure in our time.
Our Goals
Eliminate pain and suffering due to sarcoma by:
- Advocating for increased government funding against sarcoma
- Creating alliances with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries to rapidly develop new and better sarcoma treatments
- Increasing public awareness regarding early detection of sarcoma
- Educating sarcoma patients