Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, the Nobel laureate who leads Stand Up To Cancer’s scientific program as chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee, will receive a special award from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for his leadership in cancer research, the AACR has announced. The 2018 AACR Distinguished Award for Extraordinary Scientific Innovation and Exceptional Leadership in Cancer Research and Biomedical Science will be presented on April 15 during the AACR Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago.
“As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR has had a spectacular vantage point to witness how Dr. Sharp embraces the urgent need for collaboration in cancer research,” said AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc). “He has translated his considerable scientific expertise into a dynamic leadership role in cancer science that stimulates innovation and encourages other scientists to bring their best original work to the goal of defeating cancer in all its forms.”
Dr. Sharp has been SAC chair since Stand Up’s inception in 2008 and has guided the creation of 23 Dream Teams of top researchers at different institutions and many other research units and awards. He is institute professor and faculty member at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and its David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.
A world leader in molecular biology and biochemistry, he was awarded the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his co-discovery of RNA splicing. He was elected as an inaugural Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2013.
The annual SU2C Scientific Summit is an amazing meeting that brings together the best scientists and physicians together to fight cancer. The formation of multidisciplinary “Convergence” Dream Teams that combine clinical oncology, cancer biology, and quantitative sciences is a true synergy, taking cancer research to a higher level not achievable by any single discipline. As an oncologist, this team mentality is exactly what we do in our multidisciplinary clinics combining medical, radiation, and surgical oncology care. The new model of cancer research is truly a team sport.
I have been fortunate to be a part of one of the original SU2C Convergence Teams, which has allowed me to work closely with Ben Greenbaum at Mt. Sinai Medical School. A convergence team is exactly what it sounds like: Ben’s physics and computational biology background complements my expertise on RNA cancer biology and clinical oncology to tackle some complex cancer research questions. Through our work together, Ben created the first mathematical model that can predict the potential benefit of different treatments for patients diagnosed with melanoma or cancer of the lung or pancreas. The model, which captures aspects of the tumor’s evolution and the underlying interactions of the tumor with the immune system, is more accurate than previous genomic biomarkers in predicting how the tumor will respond. Even without our discovery, I have been so fortunate from this work to have made such a great friend.
At the recent Summit, it was so exciting to see the field move forward with the next step of Convergence research. SU2C awarded $11 million to seven multi-disciplinary research teams to investigate immune system response to cancers. The multi-institutional teams draw from the nation’s top academic research centers and will have access to Microsoft Research’s experts in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Each team will be comprised of experts in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering and will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with Microsoft’s machine learning experts to discover key aspects of the interaction between cancer and the immune system that can lead to the development of new treatments. For Convergence 2.0, Ben and I will collaborate on a study connecting immune health and tumor biology in gynecologic cancers.
Mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient cells are unable to repair base pairing mistakes within the DNA helix, so as they divide over and over, the new cells accumulate more of these mistakes or mutations. The response to immune checkpoint inhibitors has been varied in gynecologic cancers, possibly due to the number of mutations carried by each tumor cell (mutational burden). We hypothesize that the tumors with a high mutational burden fail to respond to checkpoint inhibition because of an immune dysfunction that is based on the mechanism for the MMR deficiency. The team plans to initiate two clinical trials that will test whether a) tumor-intrinsic factors affect the response to checkpoint inhibition; b) baseline immune function and quality affects response to checkpoint inhibition; and c) on-treatment blood markers may reflect the tumor-immune interaction. Understanding the mechanism that leads to this phenomenon has the potential to dramatically affect those patients who do not respond to current treatments.
In addition to the significant support from Microsoft, the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research provided funding for one team, and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) did as well – the latter to support post-doctoral fellows on five of the seven teams, providing an opportunity for early-career scientists to work with leading researchers.
I am excited for these new teams to utilize artificial intelligence and statistical physics to tackle some of the most provocative questions that need to be answered for the field. It has been amazing to watch the progress we have had in pancreatic cancer research, and the funding provided by SU2C, Lustgarten Foundation and others has propelled my young career forward. I am thrilled to be part of this growing SU2C family.
Tamara Wallace Norman describes her journey with breast cancer as something that caused her to become a more authentic version of herself. In 2011, at the age of 40, life seemed perfect, and cancer was the last thing on her mind. Then, in an instant, everything changed. Tamara was diagnosed with breast cancer, something that was discovered as a result of her annual checkup. She remembers feeling blindsided by the news. Treatment quickly followed: six rounds of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation, and a unilateral mastectomy.
Tamara is quick to share just how grateful she is for the overwhelming amount of support she received. “My husband was my rock through everything, and my little boy was always there, right by my side,” Tamara says. “From my mother, my extended family, to my friends, to my co-workers, I was given support from so many people. It was truly humbling to see how many people found ways to show they cared.”
Tamara was also thankful to work for a company like American Airlines, where she has been a flight attendant for almost 23 years. The compassion and understanding she received from the company allowed her to focus on her health without worrying about her job or finances while she was unable to work.
During treatment and recovery, Tamara embraced her longtime passion for skating as an escape from the disease. “Roller skating was my version of therapy, it transported me to another place and helped me take my mind off cancer,” she says.
Today, Tamara is cancer-free and proudly calls herself a cancer champion. She says her faith, her attitude, her family, her friends and her medical team helped her get through it all. One person, in particular, who made an impact on Tamara’s cancer journey and helped inspire her to be the most authentic version of herself was her father. While Tamara faced breast cancer, her father faced lung cancer. They tackled their diseases together. “My dad and I were always very close; we called ourselves cancer warriors,” Tamara remembers. “He and I used to sit on the phone and talk about being true to ourselves, even when it came to having cancer.” Just before her father passed away, Tamara was pronounced cancer-free. He told her how proud he was of how she handled her disease and what a relief it was to know she was going to be ok. “My dad lived for almost 3.5 years with cancer and never showed defeat. I am thankful I had his support and love when I did. I was proud of him too.”
“I believe that when someone goes through a health crisis or any kind of crisis in life, it can really change you,” Tamara exclaims. “Cancer taught me how having courage, strength, resilience, faith and living your best life can see you through even the toughest times.” Today, Tamara still takes her skates with her whenever she travels for work, making time to skate in all parts of the world. Her blog, Laces and Wheels, documents her life on roller skates with the hope to inspire others to roller skate through life as well.
Tamara is so proud to work for American Airlines, a company that not only places importance on team members’ health, but also one that is committed to funding collaborative cancer research. “We are still losing far too many people to this disease and I’m happy to be part of a company that cares,” she says. “We need more answers in order to help save more lives, and those answers will come with continued research.” In 2017, Tamara had the opportunity to appear in a Stand Up To Cancer campaign alongside actor Bradley Cooper and 60 other American Airlines team members who are survivors, an experience she says she was honored to be a part of.
Tamara continues to Stand Up To Cancer for herself, her father, her Wind River sisters, her cousin Mary, and her co-workers who are currently facing the disease. She shares her story in the hopes that it will inspire others facing the disease to live the best lives they can and keep fighting to survive. “I think when you are faced with something like cancer, talking to someone who has been through it is helpful because they know the ups and downs that come with facing this disease,” she says. “It’s my job to continue to pay it forward and share my journey to help support others facing this disease, just like so many others supported me.”
When Trevor Schaefer first learned he had cancer at the age of 13, he knew he would have to be brave and stand up to the disease. Fourteen years after he defeated his own “cancer bully,” Trevor is determined to help all pediatric cancer patients defeat their bully too.
Trevor faced medulloblastoma, a highly malignant form of brain cancer. Brain and spinal chord tumors are the second most common cancers after leukemia in children, accounting for an estimated 1 in 4 childhood cancers according to the American Cancer Society.
“I lived in a small town with my mom and began experiencing headaches on a daily basis,” Trevor recalls about the time leading up to his cancer diagnosis. “At first, we just attributed the headaches to allergies.” When they became more frequent and so painful that Trevor was often too sick to go to school, his mother knew there was a more serious issue. At his mother’s request, Trevor underwent further testing, and a brain tumor was discovered.
“Trevor began an aggressive form of treatment to fight his disease. He lost his hair and eating became a challenge, resulting in an almost 30-pound weight loss. Treatment was isolating, so Trevor began to keep a journal to help express himself and put his feelings down on paper. “That is when I started referring to cancer as a bully,” he says. “It was a bully that I wanted to stand up to and defeat.”
“When he was about halfway through treatment, Trevor began noticing just how many children and their families face cancer every day. After accidental injuries, cancer remains the leading cause of death for children under the age of 14. In 2016 alone, an estimated 10,380 children 15 and under were diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. These are the kinds of statistics Trevor became determined to change.
Today, at the age of 27, Trevor is still using his voice to stand up for all kids and their families facing cancer through the Trevor’s Trek Foundation. “There is so much that the general public does not know about facing cancer as a child,” Trevor says. “I’m passionate about bringing issues to light, like supporting research dedicated to the prevention of childhood cancer through Trevor’s Law and research focused on non-toxic treatments with fewer side effects, which will help more children survive.”
Survival rates for childhood cancers continue to rise with treatment advances over the past few decades, such as the recent FDA approval of the new CAR T Cell Therapy supported by research conducted by the SU2C-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Pediatric Dream Team, among others. More than 80% of children with cancer today will survive five years or more. With continued research, Trevor hopes that more non-toxic treatments will become available to allow more childhood cancer patients to become survivors who continue to thrive as adults.
“One of the things I think many people don’t realize is the lasting effects that cancer can have on childhood cancer survivors,” Trevor states. According to the American Cancer Society, follow-up care and enhanced medical surveillance are required for childhood cancer survivors because of the risk of complications that can occur many years after treatment has ended. “I deal with significant vision and hearing loss and impaired memory as a lasting side effects of my cancer and treatment,” Trevor shares. “I’m thankful that I have done as well as I have in the aftermath of cancer, but I hope to generate more awareness for childhood cancer survivors and the potential problems they may face years after they are pronounced cancer-free.”
“Ultimately, my goal is to give a voice to pediatric cancer patients and survivors,” Trevor says. “I stand up for every child diagnosed with cancer because cancer is the worst kind of bully, and we all need to stand up together to silence it for good.”
Shop the merch Trevor is wearing above (and more) at the SU2C shop.
I’ve been involved in shepherding high school students through the world of Independent Research for nearly two decades – I know firsthand the impact that spending one or two summers working in a scientific institution with a real scientist can have on their lives. High school students who are exposed to these experiences tend to gain excellent skills, which help them to:
1. become self-directed learners
2. gain confidence in their skills and ability to perform and communicate their work
3. try out possible career options that are marketable
4. become more attractive candidates to universities, and
5. consider pursuing research opportunities throughout their college careers.
The most difficult part of being a high school researcher is finding a scientist to work with. Researchers at universities and hospitals are incredibly busy and often do not even consider the requests of the lowly high school student. Also, in these days where funding is precarious and grant writing has become a job prerequisite for most scientists, finding time to mentor and train relatively inexperienced teenagers is a challenge.
STEM is the collective term for the academic fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Finding a STEM mentor is such a daunting process that I was asked to summarize the technique I use to teach my research students. The resource is called 12 Easy Steps for Finding a STEM mentor, posted on sciencebuddies.org, which guides students through the research process.
Today we are so fortunate to have programs such as the Emperor Science Awards (which SU2C and PBS sponsors) that help connect strong students to willing scientists. One of my strongest students, Julia Park, is a two-year Award recipient and has been working with Dr. Christine Chio on projects involving the redox biology inherent in pancreatic cancer. I encouraged Julia to apply as soon as I learned about the program. She was only a sophomore but I knew she was bright and conscientious and taking the most rigorous coursework available. When I visited her at Cold Spring Harbor lab, I always left incredibly impressed with the topic and work being attempted, but even more so with the collegiality I witnessed between Dr. Chio and Julia. They were a team! I believe that these types of mentor relationships provide the best way to direct smart students into STEM careers. See the link to Pathways to Science, which lists programs and universities that offer avenues for young people interested in pursuing STEM fields. The demand for skilled workers in STEM fields is growing, and closely linked to global competitiveness. Encouraging our young people to pursue research and STEM related fields is giving them a path to an in-demand career future.
Looking for resources to encourage students who are interested in STEM or research? These are a great start:
• Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies by Ken Burns
• Lesson Plan: Cell Replication and Cancerous Cells
• Collection: The History and Science of Cancer
• Cancer- A New Treatment
• Animals Offer Hope to Cancer Patients
The Emperor Science Award program was designed to empower high school students to become the next generation of cancer researchers. Entry will be open to 10th- and 11th-grade students for the 2017-2018 school year who have a strong scientific interest, especially in cancer research and care, including prior applicants or recipients in those grades. Students from all backgrounds, anywhere in the continental U.S., are encouraged to apply. Entrants will be required to complete an application and submit an essay. Entries for summer 2018 mentorships will be accepted now through November 1, 2017, 11:59 pm ET, and winners will be announced in December 2017.
Students, teachers, guidance counselors, administrators and parents can visit The Emperor Science Award website to learn more about the program, read the application essay prompt, view associated resources and submit applications.
So how is it going in the fight against cancer?
There’s plenty of good news, according to the latest report from the American Association for Cancer Research, SU2C’s Scientific Partner: the death rate from cancer in the United States is dropping, long-term survival for people with cancer has improved, and a host of new therapies are coming into use. But continued progress will require more breakthroughs in basic research, persistent efforts towards behavior change, elimination of disparities, and augmented federal funding, according to the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2017. (http://www.cancerprogressreport.org)
“As research has taught us more about the biology of cancer, we have made incredible advances in cancer treatment and prevention that are saving lives today,” said Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, president of the AACR, director of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, and chief executive officer of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio. “The opportunity to make more transformational breakthroughs will require a strong federal commitment to providing consistent, annual, above-inflation increases to the budgets for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”
• The age-adjusted U.S. cancer death rate declined by 25 percent from 1991 to 2014, which translates into 2.1 million cancer deaths avoided.
• The U.S. 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined rose from 49 percent in the mid-1970s to 69 percent in 2013, which is the last year for which we have data.
• Because cancer is primarily of disease of aging and the older population in the U.S. is growing, it is estimated that the number of new cancer diagnoses will rise from 1,688,780 in 2017 to 2,255,290 in 2030.
• From August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2017, nine new anticancer therapeutics were approved for use by the FDA, including seven targeted therapies and two immunotherapies.
• FDA also approved new uses for eight previously approved anticancer therapeutics.
Since smoking is a major cause of lung cancer and tobacco use is linked to 17 other types of cancer, the decrease in cancer numbers can be attributed partly to the declining rates of tobacco use. From 2000 to 2015, total cigarette consumption decreased by over 38 percent, the report says. On the other hand, more research is needed to investigate the health consequences of using e-cigarettes and water pipes.
“In particular, we need to fully understand whether e-cigarettes have value as cigarette-smoking cessation aids and how they affect use of other tobacco products by smokers and nonsmokers,” the report says.
Unfortunately, disparities remain in the detection and treatment of cancer across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, the report notes.
For example, the death rate from prostate cancer among African-American men is more than double that for men of any other racial or ethnic group, and Hispanic children are 24 percent more likely to develop leukemia than non-Hispanic kids. Women of low socioeconomic status who have early-stage ovarian cancer are 50 percent less likely to receive recommended care than women of high socioeconomic status.
Looking to the future, the report calls for continued efforts to make available to researchers around the world enormous amounts of data generated by thousands of cancer research projects.
“As we move forward, I foresee the collection, accumulation, and analysis of ‘big data’ as holding the key to the next transformational breakthroughs,” Dr. Caligiuri said.
Progress takes money, and the report called for “robust, sustained, and predictable growth” in federal budget allocations, including a boost of $2 billion for the NIH is fiscal year 2018, an $80 million increase for the FDA, and full funding for the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot and other initiatives.
This blog contains some spoilers for the sixth episode of The Bold Type Season One, entitled The Breast Issue.
One in two men, and one in three women, will face cancer in their lifetimes. Whether you know someone who has dealt with cancer, or you have to face it yourself, it will likely affect your life in some way. Cancer has affected me personally in many ways. So, when I first learned that my character Jane, on The Bold Type, lost her mother to breast cancer and tested positive for the potentially harmful BRCA gene mutation, I wanted to do everything I could to represent her experience in a very real way.
One of the things I love most about my job as an actress — and working on a show like The Bold Type — is that it gives me the unique opportunity to raise awareness about important issues, like women’s health, breast cancer and BRCA gene testing. In playing a character like Jane, I also got the chance to show the fears and emotions that someone who has lost a loved one to cancer may have when it comes to their personal health risks. It is a story line that I am proud to be part of and hope that it will help people who are going through a similar experience.
When I first read the script for “The Breast Issue,” I had heard of BRCA gene testing but didn’t know too much about it or what it means when these gene mutations are inherited. According to the American Cancer Society, women who have a mother, sister, or daughter with a history of breast cancer are about twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women who do not have this family history. An estimated 55 to 66 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation, and 45 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation, will develop breast cancer by age 70, compared to the 7 percent chance of breast cancer in the general population. Additionally, 39 percent of women who inherit the BRCA1 mutation and 11 to 17 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop ovarian cancer by age 70. These gene mutations may also be associated with an increased risk of several other types of cancer.
My boyfriend, Paul, and his late mother, Jill, were a huge source of inspiration for me in this episode, and I dedicated my performance to them. Paul lost his mother to breast cancer at a young age and has a deeply personal understanding of what it’s like to lose a parent to this horrible disease. He was incredibly supportive and answered any questions I had about his mom, their relationship and her battle against breast cancer. In talking to Paul and his family, I also learned that men can inherit BRCA mutations and it puts them at an increased risk for breast, prostate and other cancers.
While working on this episode, I realized the importance of a strong support system. I loved how much comfort and help Jane received from the people in her life. When someone loses a loved one or faces a health crisis, I believe that having empathy for that person and their unique situation is key. Being able to say, I’m here for you, and I can’t imagine what you’re going through, can mean the world to someone. Everyone handles things like cancer differently, and it’s enough to just be there for someone.
Cancer does not discriminate. It has taken the lives of so many people I love, including my best friend, Gavi, my grandmother, my grandfather, and the love of my life’s mother, who I will never get the opportunity to meet. To say that I hope cancer ends one day is an understatement. Cancer needs to end as soon as possible so lives continue to be saved. I am so proud to be on a network like Freeform that continues to work with organizations, like Stand Up To Cancer, to promote cancer awareness, research, and prevention. Seeing comments from the fans and hearing how they connect to each episode and the characters on our show means the world to me. If just one person is comforted by Jane’s story, learns more about their family history, or talks to their doctor about whether or not they could be a candidate for BRCA gene testing, then we’ve done our job.
To learn more about BRCA mutations and the cancer risks associated with them click here. To learn what cancer screenings might be right for you, visit SU2C’s campaign with its collaborator Rally Healthcare at www.getscreenednow.org.
To continue following Jane’s journey on The Bold Type, click here.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a devastating type of brain cancer, has been in the news again with Senator John McCain’s recent diagnosis. It is notoriously aggressive, growing rapidly and often defying treatment with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Tumors can be removed by surgery, but they nearly always come back. By most estimates, half the patients with this diagnosis will succumb to it in 15 to 18 months, and only five or 10 percent will be living in five years.
Scientists supported by Stand Up To Cancer are working to extend some of the latest insights in cancer, including immunotherapy, into this fast-moving and deadly disease. They are also seeking better treatments for other forms of cancer of the brain and central nervous system in adults, children and infants.
Here is a snapshot of this promising research:
Marcela Maus, MD, PhD, director of cellular immunotherapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, received an immuno-oncology Innovative Research Grant (IRG) from SU2C, with support from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) Company, for her research on the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells against GBM. CAR T cells have been used very successfully to treat leukemia and other blood cancers and are now being investigated for use against solid tumors. In earlier work, Dr. Maus and her team were able to get the CAR T cells into the brain without the side effects that are sometimes encountered with CAR T-cell therapy. However, the tumors were able to defend themselves against the CAR T cells, and no obvious shrinkage of the tumors occurred in the first group of patients treated.
“Basically we need to turn up the potency in solid tumors,” Dr. Maus told the Stat Plus newsletter.
With the support of the SU2C Innovative Research Grant, Dr. Maus and her lab are now working to develop a second generation of CAR T cells that target cancer cells with a combination of specific gene mutations found in many glioblastomas. She also hopes to modulate the tumor microenvironment to make it less immunosuppressive so as to give the T cells a better chance to work.
At Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Meenakshi Hegde, MD, who also received an IRG supported by a grant from BMS, is working to develop CAR T cells that specifically recognize and target the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a protein that is associated with glioblastoma. Dr. Hegde and members of her lab are developing a new way to give T cells the ability to overcome inhibitory pathways to enhance their effectiveness against glioblastoma.
“This study has the potential to dramatically improve outcomes for glioblastoma patients and advance information leading to future standards in brain tumor immunotherapy,” Hegde said.
In Canada, the SU2C Canada Cancer Stem Cell Dream Team is investigating brain tumor stem cells, a subset of cells within the tumor that are responsible for driving its growth and relapse. The team is led by Peter Dirks, MD, PhD, at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Samuel Weiss, PhD, director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary. The team is analyzing samples from tumors to try to identify genes that are specific to the tumor stem cells. Identifying the genes that drive their growth would provide a target for therapy. In addition to studying glioblastomas in adults, the team is also analyzing ependymomas in children and infants.
“The question is, how do we apply what we know about normal neural stem cells and get a deeper understanding of abnormal stem cells (in brain tumors)? That’s what this grant will really allow us to do,” Dr. Weiss told the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Jackie Foy was 22 years old when her mother, Theresa, sat her down at the kitchen table to talk about cancer. Jackie reminded herself to keep a straight face while her mother spoke. She wanted to be strong for her. Theresa’s routine Pap smear had led to the detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer. Jackie immediately had questions. She wanted to know everything she could about her mother’s diagnosis. What stage was her mother’s cancer? What kind of treatments would she have to endure? After they had finished talking, Jackie went up to her room and cried. When she finished, she began to think of ways she could help her mother survive the disease.
Theresa underwent a radical hysterectomy and her doctors were successfully able to remove all of her cancer cells. She was fortunate not to have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation, but recovery from her surgery was long. “She was out of work for about three months,” Jackie remembers. “I just made sure I did everything I could do to help during that time, so she didn’t have to worry about anything but her recovery.” From making dinners to going to doctor’s appointments and picking up extra shifts at work to help with bills, Jackie was happy to be there for her mom.
Friends and family also wanted to help out and asked if they could put together a fundraiser to help with medical expenses. Knowing that her mom would rather help others fighting cancer as well, Jackie decided to organize a fundraiser that would benefit cancer research. “My mom has always donated to Stand Up To Cancer, in honor of my grandmother who passed away from colon cancer 15 years ago,” Jackie says. “So creating a fundraiser in her honor that supported SU2C research made perfect sense.”
Jackie decided to host the fundraiser at the bowling alley where she and her mother both worked. Friends and family could come out to participate in a fun mini bowling tournament, support her mother and donate to research that would ultimately help other patients as well. “My family is a big bowling family, I grew up going to our local bowling alley, and now I work there,” Jackie laughs. “It was the perfect place for our fundraiser, and I’m happy they have let us continue to host it there for over four years now.”
Today, Jackie’s fundraiser has grown to become something that people in her community look forward to and something Jackie hopes to continue doing for years to come. “It means the world to me that the research this fundraiser supports is making an impact on patient lives,” Jackie says. “Knowing that 100% of the money we raise goes towards helping more patients become survivors like my mom makes it all worth it.”
At her most recent fundraiser, Jackie printed out SU2C’s iconic #IStandUpFor placards and put them out for participants. She was amazed to see how many people filled them out and shared stories of how cancer had also touched their lives. “I stand up for my grandmother and most importantly for my mom,” Jackie says proudly. “But, I will continue to do this fundraiser in the hopes of helping anyone that’s facing this horrible disease.”
Jackie continues to be thankful that her mother’s cancer is still in remission, but she knows that not everyone is so fortunate when it comes this disease. She hopes that with research more lives will continue to be saved. “I think anything we can do to help save more lives from cancer is important,” Jackie exclaims. “If the money we donate helps even one more patient survive, that makes it all worth it.”
Shop the merch Jackie is wearing above (and more) at the SU2C shop.
Shannon Sylvain’s journey with colon cancer began with a doctor’s appointment for a sinus infection. A simple question from her primary care physician changed everything. “Is there anything else bothering you?” Her physician asked. Shannon believed her answer was nothing out of the ordinary. She told her that she had seen some blood in her stool, something that had occurred off and on for several years. Shannon attributed the blood to a poor diet and stress, information she had received from another doctor six or seven years prior.
Her physician was alarmed by the misinformation she’d been given and referred her to a gastroenterologist. When doctors recommended that she get a colonoscopy, Shannon hesitated. “I honestly thought nothing serious was wrong with me, and colonoscopies can be expensive if insurance doesn’t cover them,” Shannon says. “I decided to get the test done ultimately because my husband insisted.”
After her colonoscopy, Shannon went home and expected to hear good news in a week, after her gastroenterologist returned from vacation. She vividly remembers receiving an unexpected call on March 30, 2016. “When I picked up the phone and heard my doctor on the other line, my heart sank,” Shannon remembers. “It was the day after my test, and she was supposed to be leaving for vacation. I knew it wasn’t the good news I had hoped for.” Shannon’s colonoscopy revealed stage IV colon cancer. She was only 31 years old.
While her doctor explained the test results, Shannon listened in shock. She wasn’t even sure what colon cancer was, but her doctor sounded sad on the phone and wanted her to meet with a surgeon immediately. The next day Shannon and her husband met her surgeon for a consultation and scheduled surgery for April 20th. Everything moved quickly. “Initially, I didn’t have time to process what was going on or do research,” Shannon says. “I didn’t know what questions to ask and just did everything they told me to do.”
During her treatment and recovery, Shannon began doing her own research to educate herself about colon cancer. She was surprised to learn how much the African American community was affected by this often-preventable disease. One doctor she spoke to attributed the community’s higher incidence rate to lack of access to financial resources and good doctors. According to the American Cancer Society, African American men and women have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States.
Shannon decided it was time to do something to help her community and all races get educated about colon cancer and prevention. “We’re taught to think colon cancer is an old person’s disease, but more and more young people of all races are getting diagnosed every day,” Shannon says. “When I was diagnosed, I wanted to know why I wasn’t more aware of prevention and warning signs, so I started Brown Sugar Rehab to help educate people about this disease, and to provide financial assistance for screenings and prevention.”
Shannon’s personal decision to become educated about her disease and make healthy changes to her lifestyle, including cutting out sugar and eating a plant based diet, has helped her immensely. After surgery, two months of radiation and six months of chemotherapy, Shannon was pronounced cancer free. Unfortunately, tests later confirmed that cancer had spread to her liver in April of 2017. This obstacle in her cancer journey is one Shannon is determined to overcome.
“If I didn’t tell you I had cancer, you’d never know it,” Shannon says. “I honestly believe my diet and exercise have helped me immensely in my fight against cancer.” Her spirituality, knowledge of treatment options and her supportive family contributed to turning her once fear-based decisions into informed and empowered ones. Making empowered decisions is something she also hopes to help other patients do.
Her advice to anyone facing cancer is to learn more about your disease and treatment options. Having a support team or loved ones to help do research is also key. “Last year I spent so much time making fear-based decisions because I didn’t know that I had options.” Shannon says, “Today, I feel empowered because I better understand my cancer, my treatment options, and my overall health.”
Through her organization, and by sharing her story with others, Shannon hopes that she can help save lives by spreading awareness of the importance of prevention. “If we can start having conversations with our doctors, family, and friends, and be educated about the disease, more lives will be saved,” Shannon says. When asked who she Stands Up To Cancer for, Shannon tells the story about a young lady named Keisha. At 24, Keisha, a member of Shannon’s church, died from colon cancer. At the time, Shannon thought colon cancer was just a rare disease that only a few people suffered from. “I stand up for myself, and I stand up for Keisha.” Shannon continues, “I want to see a world where more people like us have the opportunity and the resources to survive.”
