A MESSAGE FROM Ally's Fundraising Page for Rare Cancer Research | NYC Marathon Team BLG
We are running the TCS NYC Marathon to support rare cancer research.
Gabe had Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, or ACC, which is a cancer of secretory glands. It is an equal-opportunity disease that might strike anyone. It is not inherited, or associated with smoking, drinking, infection or ethnicity, however women comprise about 60% of ACC cases. With an average of 1224 people diagnosed annually in the United States, ACC is considered a rare cancer. 1224 is a big or small number depending on your perspective, but of course each of those diagnoses represents a brave, hopeful life.
My dad had Neuroendocrine Carcinoma. While he passed away in 2023, critical research, treatment trials, and the amazing team at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) kept him with us for much longer than predicted. Support to rare cancer research from donors like you not only increases hope for families and patients in their darkest moments, but also creates a sense of community, which is vital to those fighting this battle.
Rare diseases are harder to study because it is more difficult to get tissue and tumor samples for scientists to examine, and it can be challenging to test potential therapies. This critical limiting factor is compounded by inadequate funding for this research. As the private sector has largely overlooked these rare diseases the funding often comes from non profits, like Brave Like Gabe supported by donors like you!
Your donation to my fundraiser supports Brave Like Gabe and critical rare cancer research at places like MSK, the University of Minnesota, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“I remember feeling devastated when I realized how little research had been done on my cancer and the fact that there were not any FDA-approved treatments for my disease — I don’t want any patient to feel that way; that they’re alone in their fight or that the medical research community doesn’t care about their cancer.” - Gabe
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