The designated research will be looking for ways in which to better treat osteosarcoma, the most common human bone tumor, preferentially affecting children and young adults.

 

Despite early advances in medical and surgical treatment, there have been no major breakthroughs in osteosarcoma treatment in three decades, and 30-40% of patients will still succumb to their disease. Novel treatments remain necessary.

 

Osteosarcoma is also the most common bone tumor in dogs, and canine and human osteosarcoma share remarkable similarities in terms of appearance, behavior and biology. Furthermore, osteosarcoma is approximately 10 times more common in dogs than in humans, making clinical evaluations of novel treatment approaches far more feasible in canine osteosarcoma than in the human disease.

 

The CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center is world-renowned for treating pet animals with naturally occurring cancers - and, in the course of this work, providing new insights to improve cancer treatment in people. The center logs about 5,000 appointments and 3,000 consultations annually; its canine patients have become well-known models for perfecting cancer care across species.

 

 

"In a collaborative effort between Colorado State University, the University of Colorado and Children's Hospital Colorado, we are working with a team of experts in both the veterinary and pediatric clinical research and clinical pharmacology areas in a joint effort to evaluate ponatinib, a novel drug that is being used in treating dogs with cancer," explained Dani's Foundation Founder and President Michele Ashby.

"The proposed research project has been designed to determine if the ponatinib drug will interfere with the signaling in canine and human osteosarcoma cells, as well as potently inhibiting the growth of tumor blood vessels, necessary to provide nutrients and oxygen to growing tumors," explains lead investigator Dr. Douglas Thamm of the CSU Animal Cancer Center. "Thanks to the funding provided by Dani's Foundation, we will be able to work toward determining the optimal dose of ponatinib for subsequent studies evaluating its use in canine osteosarcoma. The successful demonstration of ponatinib's effectiveness in canine osteosarcoma will strongly justify future studies of ponatinib in human osteosarcoma patients."

 

Funding for this grant was made possible by revenue which was generated for Dani's Foundation at the 2013 Rocky Mountain Hold 'Em to Help 'Em event which was presented by the Newmont Mining Corporation in association with financial support from Barrick Gold Corporation, Franco Nevada, Royal Gold, Inc., Aurarmet Trading LLC, Mr. & Mrs. Guy Lansdown and the Colorado Mining Association. "We were most honored to be associated with those local, national and international sponsors who joined together to support our Foundation's effort to find better treatment protocols for those children and young adults who continue to be diagnosed with osteosarcoma and the other forms of pediatric sarcoma," explained Ashby. "This corporate support makes it possible for Dani's Foundation to fund those researchers who are working to find new and better treatment options for the pediatric sarcoma community."

 

Research is the key!

Worldwide a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes, and one in five children diagnosed in the U.S. will not survive, making the Dani's Foundation's research efforts to conquer childhood cancers critical. Through the vigorous efforts of Foundation sponsors, donors and volunteers - working worldwide - Dani's Foundation is honored to have the opportunity to award its annual seed research grants to scientists and investigators who are working to find better treatment protocols for all pediatric cancers and ultimately the cause and the cure for pediatric sarcomas.

 

"This research grant award is important to the entire pediatric sarcoma community," explained Ashby.   "This grant awards represents the efforts of many; those who have been personally touched by a form of pediatric sarcoma, those who believe in our efforts to end pediatric sarcoma and those that are working to find the cause and the cure for these dreadful forms of cancer that continue to affect and take the lives of children and young adults."

 

Ashby lost her daughter, Dani, to Ewing's Sarcoma (a form of pediatric sarcoma) 15 years ago. Since that time, Ashby and others have worked to form a foundation that would offer support to each and every element of the pediatric sarcoma community including patients, family and friends of patients, medical professionals and scientific researchers. Thanks to the Foundation's comprehensive program of work, Dani's Foundation has become a global leader in providing pediatric sarcoma patient support, community education outreach and research support.

 

"Due to the current economic situation that is facing our country and the global community, Foundations such as Dani's Foundation need to take the lead in funding pediatric cancer research," emphasized a most adamant Ashby. "We can no longer sit idly by and wait for others to take the lead!"

 

Out of the National Cancer Institute's multi-billion dollar budget, only $173 million, or just over three percent, is allocated for grants that have anything to do with pediatric cancer. Pharmaceutical companies see even less incentive to invest in the research needed to test experimental therapies in children because of the small patient population.

Although there are only 15,000 new cases of childhood cancer diagnosed each year nationwide, it is still the leading the cause of death by disease in children. Children can't vote, so adults must be their advocates to get more funding and government support to foster research specifically for childhood cancer.

 

"It has been reported by many that research for children with cancer - especially for those with solid tumors like sarcomas and brain cancer - lags nearly two decades behind their adult counterparts," explains Ashby. "Targeted therapies approved for adults are an area of research that has great potential. These therapies, because they target cancer cells, reducing toxicity to healthy tissue and decreasing long-term side effects, are especially attractive options for children."

 

"With advances in chemotherapy and radiation therapy, many children with cancer are cured today," Ashby explains. "However, for those patients and families that cancer continues to touch, we cannot be satisfied with the reported percentages.   Rather, we must combine our resources and work with others on finding new therapies that will treat those children who are not being cured."

 

"Some might say that this $50,000 grant is purely a 'drop in the bucket' in regards to what is really needed to take a stand against pediatric cancer," explained Ashby, "but these funds will be used by the designated researchers to seed their scientific endeavors and leverage those studies for greater financial investment in the future with the intent of advancing these scientific endeavors into much-needed clinical trial studies. The seed funding grants awarded by Dani's Foundation today are vital to making a tremendous difference in how we are to battle against pediatric cancer tomorrow!"

 

If you would like to become involved and lend support to Dani's Foundation and its efforts to End Pediatric Sarcoma, visit the Foundation's website at www.danisfoundation.org and/or contact the Foundation office at 303.601.1881.

 

By working together, WE CAN put an end to pediatric cancer!

 

By the time of Dani's diagnosis, the cancer had spread to her lungs. Although she showed no outward symptoms other than the lump on her side, Dani was in critical condition at the time of her diagnosis. She was hospitalized immediately and began an aggressive schedule of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries and a bone marrow transplant.

 

Dani was cancer-free for four months when doctors discovered the disease had returned, this time in her brain. Despite more treatments, Dani remained positive and was determined to beat her disease. Dani demonstrated courage and the will to live by graduating from Denver's South High School and enrolling in college courses.

 

Dani did not fulfill her dream to become a fashion designer. In April 1999, Dani lost her battle with cancer. She was 19 years old.

  

Since its inception in 1999, Dani's Foundation has been dedicated to Dani and the countless other children and young adults that are waging battle against pediatric sarcoma; those rare forms of cancer that continue to affect and take the lives of children and young adults.

Dani's Foundation is committed to advancing a global initiative that will be aimed at funding research to find the cause and the cure for Ewing's Sarcoma and the other forms of pediatric sarcomas.

 

Dani's Foundation is dedicated to:

• Funding the science that will target improved treatment protocols for ALL pediatric cancer patients.

• Funding the science that will find the cause and the cure for pediatric sarcoma.

• Implementing a global pediatric sarcoma community education program that is designed to inform and educate the public-at-large on the symptoms of sarcomas with the intent of seeking earlier diagnosis and ultimate survival.

• Providing valuable information, resources and financial support to the pediatric sarcoma community.

   

  For more information on how you may become involved with Dani's Foundation and the Campaign to End Pediatric Sarcoma, visit the Foundation's website at www.danisfoundation.org.