I received an email from Reavey Burke from Washington, DC. She had seen me on Fox News a few nights ago. After 15 months of surgeries, radiation, and experimental treatments, Reavey lost her father in 2004 to a stage 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. About two months ago, Reavey learned of an organization called Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. She was so interested in what they do that she applied for a job there and is now the Development and Operations Associate.
Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) is focused on one goal: to find a cure for brain cancer. By applying an aggressive, venture funding approach not typically seen in the nonprofit sector, ABC2 closes current gaps in funding in order to catalyze research and rapidly bring new therapies to patients. ABC2 brings proven business know-how to make connections that break down the silos between industry, government and researchers to speed the progress of innovative new treatments. Their in-depth understanding of both the biotech sector and the brain cancer research community enables them to create collaborations that fund the most promising research, test proven therapies for other types of cancer and team up with organizations both within and outside of the brain cancer realm that help to further their mission of finding a cure for brain cancer.
ABC2 hosts three run/walk events each year – The Florida Brain Cancer 5k in early Spring, The Race for Hope – Washington, DC, in collaboration with the National Brain Tumor Society, in May, and The Seattle Brain Cancer Walk in early Fall. With the funds raised from these events and the generosity of individual donors, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure has been able to provide more than $14 million in research funding to highly qualified research investigators and physician-scientists from 28 institutions, since 2001.
To learn more about ABC2, make a donation, or find out how you can get involved, please visit www.abc2.org.
If you know of, or are involved with, any other organizations that are working towards similar goals please let me know! While I’m working with The American Cancer Society, it doesn’t matter which organization you support or are involved in, as long as you DO support or ARE involved! This is a TEAM effort, and it requires work on multiple fronts, so let’s continue to work together as a team and create POSITIVE connections to replace the negative ones that we all share because of cancer!
Hi, Drew! I’m so glad that you’re doing this! As you know, we’ve known each other for over 20 years (!). I’ve known Reavey and her family for almost as long and I was sure that you two must have met before this. I’m so pleased that you found each other and can add strength to each other’s causes!! Have a safe trip, Drew!!! And I’ll keep spreading the word!!!
Karen