Posts Tagged ‘sarcoma research’
By Elizabeth Brown, Guest Contributor My name is Elizabeth Brown and I am 14 years old. I have a twin brother named Matthew. Our good friend and classmate was recently diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, and we wanted to show our support by doing something that would benefit him and all people fighting sarcoma. We knew that we could make a difference through our talents of music. I play classical guitar, violin, and sing, and Matthew plays piano and organ. Together, we organized the St. Mark Young Artists Concert series to benefit the Sarcoma Foundation of America. We performed a variety… Read More »
DAMASCUS, Md. – May 10, 2018 – The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), an organization dedicated to increased research and awareness for sarcoma, today announced that it has awarded half a million dollars in research funds to deserving scientists as part of its 2018 SFA Research Grant program. Ten research grants, each worth $50,000, have been awarded to researchers who have made it their mission to study sarcoma, a cancer that arises in the body’s soft tissue and bone. All proposals are peer reviewed by members of the SFA Medical Advisory Board who award the grants to the best, most… Read More »
Kenneth Cardona, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University Race to Cure Sarcoma™ Atlanta What inspired you to specialize in sarcoma? The rarity and complexity of this disease in combination with our limited treatment options outside of surgical therapy inspired me to focus my advanced surgical training in surgical oncology on this unique disease. What is the focus of the research performed in your lab? I am the lead and principal investigator of the Unites States Sarcoma Collaborative, which is a multi-institutional research effort amongst 8 academic institutions across the US studying this rare… Read More »
Excitement for the 2018 Race to Cure Sarcoma™ season is building as we head into what will no doubt be our biggest and best year yet! The Race to Cure Sarcoma™ remains the premier run/walk series in the United States focused on raising awareness and research funds for sarcoma. Organized by the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), the Race to Cure Sarcoma™ is made up of family-friendly 5K run/walks held in cities across the nation. Last year, nearly 3,500 people participated in the Race to Cure Sarcoma™. What makes the 2018 Race to Cure Sarcoma™ so exciting? … Read More »
We are nearing the end of the first month of 2018 and the sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) is grateful for everything that you’ve done in 2017. Your work makes a difference in the lives of sarcoma patients and their families While we can’t wait to see what the rest of 2018 will bring, we first want to take a moment to look back on the previous year. Thanks to your support and generosity, the Sarcoma Foundation of America had an exceptional 2017! In 2017, your gifts: Funded more than three quarters of a million dollars in sarcoma research. … Read More »
William K. Decker, PhD, Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine 2016 Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma Co-Founder Carl Firetto Memorial Research Award: “Outbred Canine Model of Adjuvant Immunotherapy for Angiosarcoma” PLEASE DESCRIBE THE FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH PERFORMED IN YOUR LAB. We study the basic immunobiology of dendritic cells and the manner by which this critical cell subtype orchestrates TH polarization. TH polarization sounds complicated – and it is – but can be explained relatively easily. The adaptive immune system makes two main types of fundamentally different immune responses. One of these responses, termed TH2, is aimed at eliminating pathogens that… Read More »
Andrew Koff, PhD, Member and Professor, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 2014 Heidi Connery Memorial Research Grant: “Proteomic and genomic approaches to understanding intrinsic and acquired resistance to CDK4 inhibition therapy in well differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcoma” PLEASE DESCRIBE THE FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH PERFORMED IN YOUR LAB. The laboratory of cell cycle regulation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is interested in identifying the genes and proteins that regulate the transition of cells from quiescence, a reversible type of proliferative exit, to senescence, a more stable irreversible type of proliferative exit. Proliferation associated with a deregulated cell cycle… Read More »
Today’s blog was written by Caleigh during her time at the Sarcoma Foundation of America’s office for “Take Your Child to Work” day. Caleigh, a 3rd grader, is the daughter of Lori Hoffman, SFA’s Senior Manager of Public Policy and External Affairs. This is Caleigh’s third year helping out at the SFA. Last year, she wrote a blog about how kids can help in our efforts to raise money for sarcoma research. She has once again chosen to serve as a guest blogger during her time in the office. By Caleigh Have you ever wondered about the Sarcoma Foundation of… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. In the three years that I have been with the Sarcoma Foundation of America, I have had the privilege of serving the sarcoma community. An important part of my job as CEO is to meet patients, caregivers and loved ones, learn about their patient journeys, and try to understand the challenges that each and every sarcoma patient deals with on their path to becoming a sarcoma survivor. I have also worked closely with sarcoma doctors and researchers, learning about their efforts to… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. Two years ago, I wrote a blog post in honor of Rare Disease Day. Entitled, “Shedding Light on the Forgotten Cancer,” it was a piece meant to raise awareness for a little known disease on a day designed to bring attention to a community of patients that are so often overlooked. It seems appropriate to share that post again as we are near Rare Disease Day 2017. On the last day of February, the rare disease community will collectively join voices and… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. There was a long period of time where there seemed to be little to no progress in finding ways to battle the forgotten cancer known as sarcoma. This period of time lasted for decades, though it probably felt more like centuries to the patients and families that were desperately looking for treatment options that never seemed to come. And while sarcoma still takes too many of our loved ones from us, progress in our fight against this terrible disease is finally being… Read More »
Dear Sarcoma Foundation of America Supporter, As the calendar takes us into the holiday season, we take the time to reflect on the year that has passed. In the sarcoma community, 2016 has been a year of hope and progress. Two new sarcoma drugs have been approved, one drug for Leiomyosarcoma and Liposarcoma patients and another approved broadly for Soft Tissue Sarcoma patients. These new therapeutic options give us continued hope for better patient outcomes and represent the progress that sarcoma researchers have made over the last decade. The type of hope and progress that the sarcoma community experienced in… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. As I write my last blog for the year, I can’t help but to think about the time of year and what it means for everyone. The Holiday Season is a time of hope and renewal, a time to spend with family and friends, and time to celebrate the special moments and accomplishments of the year. It is also a time to embrace the hope and excitement of the new year. With that said, I’d like to share with you the outcomes of… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. In honor of Thanksgiving, I would like to take a moment to share my heartfelt thoughts of gratitude. I know that I speak for all of the staff at the Sarcoma Foundation of America with this list of thanks. Our work to find the cure in our time is inspired by the sarcoma community and is accomplished thanks to the help we receive from those who share the same goal of improving the lives of those touched by sarcoma. Thank you to… The… Read More »
Today’s post was written by Bert E. Thomas IV, PhD, MBA, CEO of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. At the heart of the Sarcoma Foundation of America’s (SFA) mission is research. The needs of the sarcoma community are many – the need for more awareness, more education, and more resources is unquestionable. And while the SFA places a high priority on those needs, we know that one of the greatest needs of all is for increased research. Nothing will ultimately change for sarcoma patients and their families without increased and sustained research. This means that we advocate for increased federal funds… Read More »
September means back to school for many. For us at the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), it also means bringing awareness to the kids and teens fighting Sarcoma. You see, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that TWENTY percent of all pediatric cancers are Sarcomas? Children fighting Sarcoma are dealing with terrifying visits to the hospital for surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Your gifts to the Sarcoma Foundation of America will provide hope to kids like: the toddler diagnosed with rhabdomyosaroma when their milestones should be learning to walk–and run. the school-aged child that has a pain… Read More »
On behalf of everyone at the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA),THANK YOU! The Celebration of Life drew in over 350 individuals from the across the New York region and raised over $550,000! “A Celebration of Life” honored those who have battled sarcoma, as well as those who have dedicated their lives and careers to the treatment of sarcoma patients. At this year’s 14th Annual Fundraising event, we honored John H. Healey, MD, FACS, with the Sarcoma Foundation of America’s Nobility in Science Award, and Advaxis Immunotherapies™ for their work to advance an immunotherapy platform to fight osteosarcoma in pediatric patients. We… Read More »
DAMASCUS, Md. – June 2, 2016 – The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), an organization dedicated to increased awareness and research for sarcoma, today announced that it has awarded $400,000 in research funds to deserving scientists at institutions across the United States as part of its 2016 SFA Research Grant program. Eight research grants, each worth $50,000, have been awarded to researchers who have made it their mission to study sarcoma, a rare cancer that arises in the body’s connective tissue. All proposals are peer reviewed by the SFA Medical Advisory Board who award the grants to the best, most promising… Read More »
Today’s blog was written by Caleigh H. during her time at the SFA office for “Take Your Child to Work Day.” Caleigh, a 2nd grader, is the daughter of Lori Hoffman, SFA’s Senior Manager of Public Policy and External Affairs. Even though she is only 7 years old, Caleigh already understands how devastating sarcoma is, especially since it often impacts children like her. This is why she has taken an interest in helping and has even staffed the SFA booth at CureFest for Childhood Cancer, an event dedicated to raising awareness for childhood cancer. One of her tasks today was to put together a… Read More »
The White House today released a fact sheet outlining the focus of the newly formed Cancer Moonshot Task Force. Highlights of the new initiative include support for funding increases for cancer-related activities at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as a focus on activities such as pursuing genomic analysis of tumors and efforts to discover immunotherapies and combination therapies. Please make your voice heard during this process. Share your story and how you have been impacted by sarcoma with the Vice President and the Cancer Moonshot Task Force. THE WHITE HOUSE… Read More »
In President Obama’s final State of the Union Address, he announced a new initiative focused on finding the cure for cancer. “Last year, Vice President Biden said that with a new moonshot, America can cure cancer. Last month, he worked with this Congress to give scientists at the National Institutes of Health the strongest resources they’ve had in over a decade. Tonight, I’m announcing a new national effort to get it done. And because he’s gone to the mat for all of us, on so many issues over the past forty years, I’m putting Joe in charge of Mission Control. … Read More »
-Drug Approved for Use in Treatment of Advanced Liposarcoma and Leiomyosarcoma- DAMASCUS, Md. – October 23, 2015 – The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) applauds the announcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the drug Yondelis (trabectedin, marketed by Janssen) has been approved by the agency for the treatment of advanced liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma, two subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma. Yondelis has received approval for the use in the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma who have previously received an anthracycline chemotherapy. “The Sarcoma Foundation of America is thrilled with the FDA’s decision to approve… Read More »
DAMASCUS, Md. – September 30, 2015 – The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), an organization dedicated to increased research and awareness for sarcoma, a rare cancer of the connective tissue, today announced that it has initiated a fundraising campaign to support the genotyping of sarcoma patient tumors in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Tumor genotyping is the process by which a sample of the patient’s tumor is evaluated for genetic abnormalities that may drive healthy cells to become tumor cells, creating a growing tumor. If the tumor genotyping identifies a genetic abnormality that is potentially treatable by an… Read More »
American Income Life Supports Sarcoma Foundation Donations will help fund research and education POMPANO BEACH, FL SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 — American Income Life Insurance Company, headquartered in Waco, TX, in partnership with State General Agents Tom Williams and David Zophin, donated $10,000 to the Sarcoma Foundation of America (South Florida Chapter) as part of the Company’s Closer to the Heart program of charitable giving. Tom Williams, State General Agent of the Williams-Zophin Agency, representing American Income Life in the south Florida region, presented the donation to Bert Thomas, CEO of Sarcoma Foundation of America at Williams-Zophin’s main office in Pompano… Read More »
Did you know that sarcomas represent 1% of all cancers but 15% of all childhood cancers? September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For many children that means back to school and all the excitement it brings. But instead of worrying about new clothes and school supplies, children fighting sarcoma are dealing with terrifying visits to the hospital for surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. You can help change that! Your contribution to the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) will provide hope to a young boy like Damon, whose doctors discovered osteosarcoma in his left arm when he was just 9… Read More »