Why am I doing this (am I crazy?! )? Well, yes, but I am riding to raise funds for pediatric brain tumor research that SAVES LIVES!
Who is Nathan? Nathan is an awesome young person and my coworker Evan's son. Nathan was diagnosed with brain cancer and receives treatment through Dana Farber. His second round of treatment has been successful. Fingers crossed he remains stable!
Did you know?
Where does your donation go? Donations will support the Team Nathan Fund which helps to fund Dana Farber’s groundbreaking pediatric brain tumor research program. 100% of all moneys donated will support this research. Our team goal is to raise $100,000 and I have committed to raise $6000.
Fund Name: The Team Nathan Fund
Account Code: 9618809
PI: Dr. Kieran
My son Nathan was diagnosed with an inoperable, incurable brain tumor when he was four. As someone who works in drug development, I was shocked by the limited treatment options available to Nathan. He faced the same frontline chemotherapy treatments that had been used for four decades- since before I was born.
As I watched Nathan suffer through two grueling and toxic treatment regimens, I pledged that I would do everything possible to ensure that if Nathan’s tumor ever grew again, he’d have access to state of the art trials, cutting edge science, and better treatment options.
Cara and I began supporting research that targets the most-common mutation found in these tumors, the BRAF-KIAA1549 fusion mutation. This work, funded almost entirely by families of kids with brain tumors, identified an adult melanoma drug, TAK580, which looked promising. For the last two years, we’ve worked with family and friends to fund this $1.6 million DFCI trial, and I am so grateful to all of you who have helped us support the trial’s early stages.
I’m especially grateful because this project has become even more personal this year. After nearly four years of stability, Nathan’s brain tumor started growing again late last year. By Christmas he was having trouble using his right side— skating on his right leg, lifting a fork, holding his hockey stick, chasing his annoying little brothers. He never complained, never missed a hockey practice, never stopped trying to ski, and he never let it slow him down. In February, the TAK580 trial—the trial we’ve worked so hard for years to fund—finally moved into phase I. Amazingly, Nathan became the first child in the world to enroll. Two months later, we received stunning news: for the first time in Nathan’s battle, his brain tumor had shrunk.
Nathan could ski again! He could throw a ball! He could pummel Joshua and Lucas! This feels like a miracle, but it’s not: the trial only exists because of the generous support of people like you. And it still needs our support: for Nathan, for our six-year old friend Alison, who has also recently joined the trial, and for all of the other kids who will be saved by TAK580. Nathan has a long road ahead, but he’s made tremendous progress in recent months, thanks to this drug. I see him riding his bike down the street now, and I still have a hard time believing it’s real. Together we helped make this possible!
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a fully supported bike-a-thon, which typically includes 12 routes spanning 25 to 192 miles over the first weekend of every August. Over 950 PMC riders and volunteers make up the PMC Living Proof community who were previously treated or are undergoing treatment. Since its 1980 inception, the PMC has contributed $767 million to lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber.
Why am I doing this (am I crazy?! )? Well, yes, but I am riding to raise funds for pediatric brain tumor research that SAVES LIVES!
Who is Nathan? Nathan is an awesome young person and my coworker Evan's son. Nathan was diagnosed with brain cancer and receives treatment through Dana Farber. His second round of treatment has been successful. Fingers crossed he remains stable!
Did you know?
Where does your donation go? Donations will support the Team Nathan Fund which helps to fund Dana Farber’s groundbreaking pediatric brain tumor research program. 100% of all moneys donated will support this research. Our team goal is to raise $100,000 and I have committed to raise $6000.
Fund Name: The Team Nathan Fund
Account Code: 9618809
PI: Dr. Kieran
My son Nathan was diagnosed with an inoperable, incurable brain tumor when he was four. As someone who works in drug development, I was shocked by the limited treatment options available to Nathan. He faced the same frontline chemotherapy treatments that had been used for four decades- since before I was born.
As I watched Nathan suffer through two grueling and toxic treatment regimens, I pledged that I would do everything possible to ensure that if Nathan’s tumor ever grew again, he’d have access to state of the art trials, cutting edge science, and better treatment options.
Cara and I began supporting research that targets the most-common mutation found in these tumors, the BRAF-KIAA1549 fusion mutation. This work, funded almost entirely by families of kids with brain tumors, identified an adult melanoma drug, TAK580, which looked promising. For the last two years, we’ve worked with family and friends to fund this $1.6 million DFCI trial, and I am so grateful to all of you who have helped us support the trial’s early stages.
I’m especially grateful because this project has become even more personal this year. After nearly four years of stability, Nathan’s brain tumor started growing again late last year. By Christmas he was having trouble using his right side— skating on his right leg, lifting a fork, holding his hockey stick, chasing his annoying little brothers. He never complained, never missed a hockey practice, never stopped trying to ski, and he never let it slow him down. In February, the TAK580 trial—the trial we’ve worked so hard for years to fund—finally moved into phase I. Amazingly, Nathan became the first child in the world to enroll. Two months later, we received stunning news: for the first time in Nathan’s battle, his brain tumor had shrunk.
Nathan could ski again! He could throw a ball! He could pummel Joshua and Lucas! This feels like a miracle, but it’s not: the trial only exists because of the generous support of people like you. And it still needs our support: for Nathan, for our six-year old friend Alison, who has also recently joined the trial, and for all of the other kids who will be saved by TAK580. Nathan has a long road ahead, but he’s made tremendous progress in recent months, thanks to this drug. I see him riding his bike down the street now, and I still have a hard time believing it’s real. Together we helped make this possible!
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a fully supported bike-a-thon, which typically includes 12 routes spanning 25 to 192 miles over the first weekend of every August. Over 950 PMC riders and volunteers make up the PMC Living Proof community who were previously treated or are undergoing treatment. Since its 1980 inception, the PMC has contributed $767 million to lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber.
| 2021 | $8,597.00 | Wellesley to Bourne + Wellesley Century (2-Day) |
| $150.00 | PMC Winter Cycle |
