The Macy Easom
Cancer Research Foundation was established in memory of Macy Easom, a 4-year-old
girl diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of pediatric liver cancer, who
passed away at the age of 5. The foundation’s mission is to provide funding to
enable research devoted to finding a cure and treatment for hepatoblastoma and
other pediatric cancers while promoting public awareness.
To help reach its
mission, the foundation has partnered with Stefano
Cairo, Ph.D., a human geneticist at XenTech in Paris, France, as well as Charles Keller, M.D., a nationally
accomplished childhood cancer physician-scientist, and Markus Grompe, M.D., an internationally recognized liver biology
expert -- both from Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Papé
Family Pediatric Research Institute, and the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in
Portland, Ore.
“Hepatoblastoma is
a neglected rare cancer in children, but this liver tumor is among the top
eight causes of childhood cancer deaths,” says Dr. Keller. “Scientists studying
other pediatric and adult cancers (including hepatocellular carcinomas) are
building a foundation of knowledge about potential signaling pathways that may
be related to how hepatoblastoma tumors start and progress, but the amount of
focused research on hepatoblastoma is limited and a clear plan to tackle this
disease is lacking.”
Dr. Keller says
the scientific exchange afforded by the lectureship will bring together experts
on hepatoblastoma biology, and those with internationally recognized expertise
in liver stem cells from which this tumor likely arises. “The Macy Easom Cancer
Research Foundation, and its commitment to establishing a basic science
laboratory for the study of hepatoblastoma is of vital importance if we are to
reverse the trend of mortality in this childhood liver cancer.”
For more
information on the Macy Easom Cancer Research Foundation, visit
PrincessMacy.org.
The
lecture, which begins at 4 p.m. in the OHSU Hospital eighth-floor auditorium, is
free and open to the public. For more information, please send an email to collier@ohsu.edu.
For the Tuesday June 5 4pm PST LIVE Internet feed for Dr. Cairo's seminar, click here.
About Macy Easom Cancer Research Foundation
The Macy Easom
Cancer Research Foundation in Perry, GA was formed to help find a cure for
hepatoblastoma, a form of pediatric liver cancer, as well as other pediatric
cancers. Macy Easom was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma at the age of four and
passed away at the age of five. Her family has formed the foundation in hopes
of partnering with doctors for pediatric cancer research and to eventually
bring a pediatric cancer research center to the Southeast. PrincessMacy.org.
ABOUT OHSU
DOERNBECHER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ranks among the top children's
hospitals in the United States in eight clinical specialties.* It ranks 36th
nationally for NIH-awarded pediatric research funding among children's
hospitals affiliated with an academic medical center**, and is one of only 22
NIH-designated Child Health Research Centers in the country.
OHSU
Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children each year from Oregon, southwest
Washington and around the nation, resulting in more than 175,000 discharges,
surgeries, transports and outpatient visits annually.
Nationally
recognized OHSU Doernbecher physicians and nurses provide a full range of
pediatric care in the most patient- and family-centered environment. These
highly trained clinicians also travel throughout Oregon and southwest
Washington, providing specialty care to more than 3,000 children at more than
150 outreach clinics in 15 locations. In addition, OHSU Doernbecher delivers
neonatal and pediatric critical care consultation to community hospitals
statewide through its state-of-the-art telemedicine network.
* U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals 2011-12
** National Association of
Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
Our thanks to Dr. Paul Meltzer, NCI, who gave a talk at OHSU on oncogenomics Tuesday October 9th as part of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Seminar Series. Paul is an expert on osteosarcoma (and pediatric sarcomas in general), and we were grateful for his visit and insight. 
The Lyla
Nsouli Foundation is proud to announce the award of a 67,000 USD pilot grant to
Dr. Sakir ‘Hume’ Gultekin, Neuropathologist and Associate Professor of
Pathology, Oregon Health & Science University. In this pilot study, Dr. Gultekin will
examine a new set of cell surface receptors in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) to determine whether their
co-expression matches a profile consistent with novel therapeutic targets.
While at the earliest stage of preclinical development, it is hoped that novel
targets and unique therapeutic approaches might lead to a clinical trial for
children with DIPG in the foreseeable future. 
In a joint effort with our community partners, Familias en Accion and Oncology Youth Connection, the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program will begin our Cancer Transitions sessions. The program aims to help young adult patients (aged 18-39 at time of session start) with cancer, who are transitioning from active treatment to survivorship. Participants need to have completed treatment in the last two years.
Beginning Thursday, May 24, 2012, the six-week program will focus on a new area of survivorship each week, providing information on things like tips for healthy eating, how to keep exercise in a busy schedule, and how to take control of survivorship. We’ll also provide tools for working through the emotional and social hurdles faced during the transition period after treatment, as well as give AYAs a chance to connect with others and learn they are not alone.
So if you are a survivor, or you know someone who could benefit from this FREE program, please email Mindy or call 503-494-0446 to get more information or to register. Space is limited.
April 2-8th is National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week (NYACAW). What better way to celebrate than to share some facts about this special population of 15 to 39 year olds affected by cancer?