EARTH DAY GREETINGS TO EACH OF YOU!

• Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress.
• Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions.
• Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet. 

In reviewing the bullets from above, it is safe to say that every day is Dani's/David's/Scott's/Angela's/Chris'....... Day at Dani's Foundation.  As a Foundation committed to finding the cause and the cure for Ewing's Sarcoma and those other pediatric sarcomas that are affecting and taking the lives of our children and young adults, we continue to celebrate the gains that we have made and actively work to create new visions to accelerate our progress.  

 

We invite you to unite with us around new actions within our Foundation and make a personal commitment to work with us  to protect our most precious natural resource:  Our Children. 

 

 As always, our very best wishes to you and yours as we celebrate a day of renewed resources for our world!

 

MICHELE ASHBY ADDRESSES TARGETED THERAPY FOR CHILDHOOD CANCERS SYMPOSIUM HELD AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY APRIL 17 

 

Michele Ashby, Founder and President of Dani's Foundation, was invited to present as a parent advocate at the Targeted Therapy for Childhood Cancer Symposium at Georgetown University on Friday, April 17.  The date of Michele's presentation fell on the ten year anniversary of her daughter Dani's death from Ewing's Sarcoma.  Michele's presentation served to bring a face of Ewing's Sarcoma to those in attendance who are working to find targeted therapies for Ewing's Sarcoma and those other forms of pediatric cancers that are affecting and taking the lives of children and young adults. 

 

The one-day symposium was developed by The Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University as a way to bring scientists and others together; those professionals and individuals who are concerned about the need of developing targeted therapeutics for childhood cancer.  This was a truly unique conference that combined clinical challenges, words of action by advocates and novel state-of-the-art research presentations in an information-filled program at Georgetown.   

 

The majority of the day's symposium centered around the fact that today,  almost 80% of all children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer are long term survivors, and the majority is considered cured.  This success has largely been due to the use of more intensive therapy using a combination of different chemotherapeutic agents, surgery, and radiation.  However, no treatment is without cost! As childhood cancer survivors become adolescents and young adults, some of them are at risk of developing complications related to the very treatments that saved their lives. 

 

In addition to the statistics of survival success, there are still children with cancer who will not survive, in spite of the best therapies known today.  This includes patients with brain tumors, leukemias, and sarcomas.   

 

Childhood cancer is rare.  Only 12,500 new patients are diagnosed each year in the United States.  Unfortunately, these are small numbers when talking about new pharmaceutical development.  

 

The Targeted Therapy for Childhood Cancer Symposium was designed to organize a panel of distinguished individuals who spend their careers taking good research ideas and translating them into the creation of new medicines for children.  The challenges are significant as the pharmaceutical industry development costs are high and the consumer market is small, resulting in limited financial return for industry. The goal of this symposium was to give the attendees an overview on where we stand with the treatment of certain cancers today, the challenges that are faced when patients do not respond to treatment and what is being done to develop new medicines for childhood cancer.  The outcome was to enlighten each participant on the importance of developing novel therapies for the treatment of childhood cancer and, with the support of everyone in attendance and their associates, the goal is to work together on the development of treatments that are targeted to the cancers in a far less toxic manner than what is currently occurring. 

 

Advancements in childhood cancer will come in the form of team approaches and we need everyone's assistance if we are to succeed in combating these diseases and finding improved treatments for our children with cancer! 

 

For more information on the Targeted Therapy for Childhood Cancer Symposium, contact Georgetown University Hospital and the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology  http://lombardi.georgetown.edu/events/pedstherapy/ 

 

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK 

 

National Volunteer Week 2009 is happening now and has been designed this year to "Celebrate People in Action." Dani's Foundation would like to take this opportunity to recognize each of you who act as volunteers for our Foundation.  You represent "those ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things through service" to our Foundation.  None of you are ordinary by any stretch of the imagination and we want you to know that you are vital in assisting us in our mission to accomplish extraordinary achievements! 

 

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Dani's Foundation, we thank each and every one of you for your continued support of our efforts to succeed in the battle against Ewing's Sarcoma and the other forms of pediatric sarcomas that are affecting and taking the live of our children and young adults. 

 

By continuing to work together, we can make a tremendous impact on these horrific diseases! Thank You for your support of our efforts to Succeed! 

 

COMING EVENTS 

 

KISS THE BLUZ GOODBYE SLATED FOR AUGUST 20 AT DENVER’S CITY PARK PAVILION 

 

Denver's City Park Pavilion will be the site of the first annual Come and Kiss the Bluz Goodbye, a summertime stimulus party for Dani's Foundation that will take place on Thursday, August 20.   Everyone is invited to attend this very special event that will feature the opportunity to confab with friends at the cocktail soiree, participate in a silent auction of dining and entertainment items, listen to amazing entertainment and relax amidst the splendor of the gardens of City Park. 

 

Information will be coming soon on this very special event that will benefit Dani's Foundation but mark your calendars NOW and plan to be a part of this very special party in the park that will support the campaign to end pediatric cancers! 

 

STEPS 3K WALK SEPTEMBER 19 TO BENEFIT DANI’S FOUNDATION 

 

Break out your walking shoes and plan to STEPS (Stride To End Pediatric Sarcomas) with Dani's Foundation on Saturday, September 19 at the Pepsi Center in Downtown Denver. 

We need your support of this very special 3K walk event that will assist in raising much needed funding for our Foundation and our efforts to continue funding of pediatric sarcoma cancer research.  Your participation will insure our efforts in assisting to find the cause and the cure for Ewing's Sarcoma and those other pediatric sarcomas that are affecting and taking the lives of our children and young adults.

 

 Registration information will be posted soon on our website (www.danisfoundation.org) to assist in registering you, your family and your friends for this year's STEPS celebration.  

 

Participation in STEPS is simple:

• Obtain a STEPS Registration Form
• Notify Dani's Foundation of your participation in STEPS
• Ask others to join you in taking STEPS on September 19 to end pediatric sarcomas
• Begin collecting pledges for your participation in STEPS from family, friends, business associates and others.
• Show up on September 19 with pledges in hand and take your STEPS to support the effort to end pediatric sarcomas.
• Join the post STEPS celebration party that will be planned immediately following the event on September 19.

For information on how you can participate in the 1st annual STEPS celebration for Dani's Foundation, contact Martha Simmons (303/601-1881 or via email to martha@dani'sfoundation.org).

 

By taking STEPS together, we will be closer to combating pediatric sarcomas!  STEPS is being planned during the month of September which is nationally designated at Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month.