The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI: Oct 21, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Wayman Tisdale Story (osteosarcoma,basketball & jazz)

Reposted from the Scott Carter Foundation website as written by Amanda.

Hollywood is coming to Holland Hall! On Saturday, October 29, 2011 the world wide movie premiere of the “The Wayman Tisdale Story” will take place at the Walter Arts Center at Holland Hall. The film celebrates the life and legacy of three time All-American, Gold Medal Olympian, NBA Star, World Renowned Jazz musician and Tulsan, Wayman Tisdale. The event is free and open to the public.

“The Wayman Tisdale Story” features never before seen interviews with Wayman Tisdale as he tells his own life story from childhood to his battle with Cancer. The film also features interviews with Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Toby Keith, Marcus Miller, Dave Koz, A.C. Green, Jonathan Butler, Steve McKeever, Billy Tubbs and the Tisdale family. Emmy nominated documentary director Brian Schodorf produced and directed the film and will be speaking at the premiere. The Los Angeles Times says “The Wayman Tisdale Story is a must-see film for all audiences.” View the trailer here.

The Scott Carter Foundation is excited to join forces with filmmaker Brian Schodorf to host the first public screening of “The Wayman Tisdale Story“. The event will be just like a Hollywood premiere–complete with a red carpet, photo ops, and the viewing of the hour long documentary. “The Wayman Tisdale Story” has been featured in multiple film festivals and has won numerous awards. It also features the song “Cryin’ for Me” which was written and performed as a tribute to Tisdale by Toby Keith.

Wayman Tisdale passed away in 2009 after a two-year battle with Cancer. He suffered from Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, that also took the life of Tulsan, Scott Carter at age 13 in 1993. According to the American Cancer Society, each year about 800 new cases of Osteosarcoma are diagnosed in the United States. About 400 of these are in children and teens. Osteosarcoma is not a common Cancer and more research is needed. To date, the Scott Carter Foundation has raised $1.7 million for Children’s Cancer research. Read more about the Foundation here. “The Wayman Tisdale Story” premiere will take place at 7:30pm on Saturday, October 29 at the Walter Arts Center at Holland Hall, located at 5666 East 81st Street (Tulsa, Oklahoma). Doors open at 6:30pm. The event is free and open to the public. The Tisdale family, Director Brian Schodorf and the Carter family will be available for interviews. A copy of the movie is available upon request.

now available from e-bookstands: The Miles Levin Story

reposted from levinstory.com

Miles Levin, a gifted but unfocused teenager from suburban Detroit – whiling away hours on videogames – is jolted by a diagnosis of a deadly cancer. Working out his feelings in writing on a blog, his charm, humor, spirit, and unceasing honesty drew the attention of readers from around the world. You - as have tens of thousands of others - will be amazed, humbled, and helped by what he wrote as he struggled with the hardships destiny imposed on him. Bob Woodruff, ABC news journalist, said of Miles, “He has told us what it means to live life without fear, but with Joy.”
While most of Miles’ days were challenging, some were filled with the happiness every teenager hopes to have – the thrill of first love, the fun of prom night, and the caring and admiration of friends. Cancer was bringing an end to his life, but he brought completion to his life. In so doing he inspires us to be mindful, loving, joyful, and thankful. He left us an enduring gift, thereby fulfilling his greatest desire when he wrote: “Dying is not what scares me; it’s dying having had no impact.”

The link to the e-bookstands wesbite for this book is here.

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.