Blogs: Families, Foundations & Researchers
Until There Is A Cure: Our 2022 Impact Report
Because Michael’s decision to donate his brain to find a cure for cancer intersects with so many other important research initiatives, a wave of positive change is transforming the face of childhood brain cancer research.
But there is so much work to do: Survival rates for children diagnosed with brain cancer have flatlined over the last 40 years and brain cancer is the number one cause of death by disease for people 20 years and younger. We need to do things differently for future families!
Our 2022 Impact Report shows what we have accomplished and how we will accelerate breakthrough cancer research, improve treatments, and ultimately find CURES for childhood brain cancer.
September Events Focus on Childhood Cancer
This autumn, two events put childhood cancer in the spotlight as the #1 cause of death by disease in children: the first BrainStorm Summit at CureFest and the White House Forum on Childhood Cancer. At both events, families who have lost children to brain cancer shared their experiences with top researchers and policymakers.
Gift from a Child’s Ginny McLean was on the steering committee for the inaugural BrainStorm Summit, a day-long conference held before the annual CureFest for Childhood Cancer in DC. Gift from a Child hosted a panel discussion on post-mortem tissue donation and data-driven discoveries in pediatric brain tumors.
Research Shows Families Want Option to Donate Post-mortem Tissue
Families who lose a child to brain cancer, want doctors to give them the option to donate their child’s tissue.
Donating tissue not only contributes to research for a cure, but donating helps families grieve and see something good come from their tragic loss.
Parents encourage brain tissue donation after young son dies from rare pediatric brain cancer
Parents encourage brain tissue donation after young son dies from rare pediatric brain cancerBy Sarah Schulte via WLS logoSunday, September 25, 2022 11:30PM...
Goundbreaking Publication from GFAC Center of Excellence at Stanford
A New Approach for DMG PatientsClinical trials are crucial for understanding the potential effects and benefits of new therapeutics. A recent study led by Dr....
Meet Jared Hysinger – Tissue Navigator
Jared Hysinger – The role of a tissue navigator has shown that this process is not one-way. Patients have a unique role in informing how scientists research their diseases. By donating tissue, patients provide scientists with a real sample of their unique disease. We can compare it to others and with their own healthy tissue to find similarities and improve our treatment strategies.
Love Never Dies
Love Never Dies Through Gift From a Child, parents can turn loss and grief into action. A recent collaborative effort by the entire Gift from a Child team was...
Memory Monday: Silas Martin
Silas Martin was a Brony (Brotherhood of My Little Pony Lovers). Look it up – it’s even on Wikipedia! Mostly teens and college guys, a Brony probably has an amazingly gentle, kind spirit – even if he looks tough on the outside.
Early in Silas’s last year of life, he was offered a “Mini Wish” to go to an anime convention in southern Illinois. He was psyched! He asked Mom to take him and two of his older buddies. There were vendors, breakout sessions for Q & A, and fake martial arts fighting (with foam sabers)! People dressed as their favorite characters abounded.
Memory Monday: Joey Clayton
From the time Joey could walk he was constantly on the move!! Running, jumping, sliding, dancing, you name it. He loved to play sports and would often be outside with his dad with a ball and a bat, or a soccer ball, or a football, you get the picture. Well when he was around 3 years old he saw WWE for the first time…..and just couldn’t get enough!!
Memory Monday: Mia Nichelle Noflin
My daughter Mia Nichelle Noflin. Mia passed on November 16, 2020 From DIPG. A rare pediatric brain tumor. This photo was taken in Feburary 2020, just a few weeks before her diagnosis.
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