What We're Doing

Since 2000, Dani’s Foundation has supported the work of Dr. Jeffrey Toretskyat Washington DC’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center by providing pilot funding to extend his research on Ewing’s Sarcoma.

In 2004, Dr. Toretsky’s lab discovered a key combination of two proteins in Ewing’s Sarcoma. By preventing these two proteins from interacting, the research scientists believe the effect could be similar to removing the spark plug wires from the spark plugs in a car: without spark plugs, a car cannot run. Similarly, without this protein interaction, Ewing’s Sarcoma cells cannot survive. Dani’s Foundation has provided funding for Dr. Toretsky’s lab to create novel peptides to prevent this interaction.

In addition to funding cancer research, Dani’s Foundation is committed to raising awareness about pediatric cancers. Through educational workshops, events, and news stories, we continually strive to inform the public about diseases that are prevalent amongst children.

Dani’s Dine-In Kiosk™ at Children’s Hospital

Dani’s Dine-In Kiosk™ provides a fast, easy, and convenient way for family members and staff at The Children’s Hospital (Denver) to order food from nearby restaurants, and have it delivered.

Chemotherapy not only took Dani’s hair, but also her senses of taste and smell. One night, Dani had a craving for chicken noodle soup. Dani and her mom, Michele, made it to the hospital cafeteria just as it was closing. The night chef, who they had come to know quite well, agreed to make the soup for Dani. Back in her room, Dani took one bite of the soup and pushed it away. Despite all of the effort, it was still “hospital food.” Dani craved “real food” from the restaurants that she knew and loved.

Dani’s sleep schedule, typical of a young adult, meant that she would be most energetic around 9:00 p.m. By then even if Dani wanted something from the cafeteria, it had already been closed.

The nurses’ station had a notebook with a few menus from nearby restaurants in it, but not enough to satisfy all patients’ personal cravings. Their menus were also only limited to restaurants that delivered.

Michele had traveled extensively and had seen computerized kiosks with tourist information in different hotels and airports. She set out to create something similar—a dining kiosk for the hospital, which featured restaurants that deliver and the By Jeeves delivery service. This way, the patients and their family members would no longer be at the mercy of the cafeteria menu or hours, they could now order what they wanted to eat whenever they felt like eating.

In August 1999, Dani’s Dine-In Kiosk™, featuring 25 nearby restaurants, was placed at The Children’s Hospital in the parent lounge of the oncology department. It was received with such popularity that a second Dani’s Dine-In Kiosk™ was installed on the first floor located near the cafeteria.