The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI: Team Sarcoma San Antonio Event 2008

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Team Sarcoma San Antonio Event 2008

This morning at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio we had over 30 participants in the Team Sarcoma run/walk. It was a cooler than average morning for South Texas, fortunately! In attendence were sarcoma survivors, researchers and clinical care providers. This event is one of dozens internationally that raise awareness for Sarcoma. Preliminary reports indicate that there were over 8,000 people worldwide involved in the 2008 Team Sarcoma Initiative’s International Sarcoma Awareness Week! These events are coordinated by the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative. All proceeds benefit sarcoma research. Kudos to organizers Jinu Abraham and Mandy McCleish from our lab but especially colleagues Denice Jimenez and Kim Warshauer at the UTHSCSA Development Office who made this event possible. The event just in San Antonio raised $440 for sarcoma research. We hope we can get even more people involved for the event next year to raise awareness about Sarcoma.

Press Release from the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative (Liddy's Dad):
8,000 People Join the Team Sarcoma Initiative to Fight a Rare Cancer
"From its humble beginnings in 2003, when seven people who called themselves "Team Sarcoma" biked 200 miles in Louisiana, the Team Sarcoma Initiative has become an international movement. More than 8,000 people worldwide participated in this year's Initiative, surpassing the 3,400 who participated last year. Events in 14 countries were hosted by individuals, advocacy groups and medical centers seeking to raise awareness of sarcoma, a cancer that affects hundreds of thousands of people worldwide."

5 comments:

jcc said...: Well-organized event. Hope to meet more sarcoma survivors and
supporters at the 2009 walk/run. Really appreciated the support from all UTHSCSA people that were present on Thursday. Would a Saturday walk/run attract even more people or even be a possibility?
Janice; July 23, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Charles said...: yes - a Saturday morning would be a really good idea. I think we should do that for next year's event.

There's also the possibility of a bike ride that we could do for variety. As long as it is a "human-powered event" anything is possible. what would you think of something other than a walk/run?; July 24, 2008 at 5:02 PM
empy said...: Congratulations on a successful event! This movement is so exciting. Many teams choose to do a bike/walk/run so that those who cannot bike have other options. If this option works for your chosen location, it will probably attract the most people - especially on a Saturday.; July 26, 2008 at 7:44 AM
jcc said...: Bike/walk/run sounds great. Would that include a wheelchair accessible route or path?; July 27, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Charles said...: We would definitely need to do something like that to be inclusive. Given the few bike paths in San Antonio, what would you think of an event starting from Friedrich Park (where there are wheelchair-accessible paths and nice shade), whereby the bike riders could do a loop on the roads around the park, and we all meet back at the park for refreshments? We'd need to look into whether they'd allow such an event at Friedrich. Maybe there's a better venue?; July 28, 2008 at 7:29 AM

You Can Participate in our Novel Therapeutics Studies !

One would like to think that tangibly better treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma and other childhood cancers can be found in a matter of years, instead of tens of years. Finding new treatments starts with research, perhaps even a new research approach to identifying effective new treatments. The Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute focuses on finding molecules in childhood cancers that can be directly turned off or on by drugs so that the tumor stops growing. Behind our novel approach is the use of genetically-engineered mice. Our Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative uses mice modified from before birth so that at a certain age, and in a certain tissue, the same mutations found in a child’s cancer are activated in the mouse. These special mouse models of childhood cancer can be used to test a treatment to see whether the tumor growth and spread (metastasis) can be reversed. The specific aspect of these mice having normal immune systems is a real plus, too, because white blood cells play an important role in how tumors evolve and respond to therapy.

Our program is designed around community participation. Through the Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute, you can contribute directly to this grass-roots initiative. Donations through small gifts or grants will assist in studying compounds that may be effective in treating such childhood cancers as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, or medulloblastoma (the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma model was featured by Dr. Keller's long time collaborator and former mentor, 2007 Nobel laureate Mario Capecchi, in his Nobel Prize lecture {see 16 minutes onward}.)

For additional information regarding supporting this program please contact Charles Keller at charles@cc-tdi.org. Results obtained through these studies will be shared with the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, as well as the Children’s Oncology Group, which designs clinical trials for childhood cancer.