Our Spring to GIST Awareness Day Campaign Continues!
Our spring fundraising campaign is all about Fueling GIST Research and we will be sharing examples of all the ways The Life Raft Group is involved in GIST research and accelerating outcomes that affect patient survival and how our community is helping us move forward & raise funds to do so. We are committed to raising $25K during this campaign. Click on the image above to learn more about how you can get involved with this Campaign.
ASCO23 – Cultivating Partnerships for Research
The ASCO 23 Annual Meeting was held in Chicago, Illinois and is said to be an “unparalleled opportunity to connect with one of the largest, most diverse audiences in global cancer care and an all-access pass to join global cancer experts an discover the latest innovations in cancer research and education. In at the hybrid ASCO 2022, over 42K attended with 73% attending in person.”1
Executive Director Sara Rothschild and Board Member/Clinical Trials Coordinator Jim Hughes attended the meeting accompanied by volunteer videographer & LRG member Chris Bayard. Sara and Jim spent a large portion of their time meeting with medical professionals, pharmaceutical teams, and clinicians across cancer centers, academic institutions, and governmental health agencies. Their carefully planned objectives were to catch up with the status of current studies, discuss next steps, foster new relationships, leverage others, explore collaborative data study possibilities, and find a way forward for the advocacy of new treatments, new clinical trials, funding, and new pathways in GIST research.
“This year’s ASCO meeting was the busiest one yet! Through our extensive network of stakeholders, we are actively cultivating stronger partnerships to bring research and a cure within close reach for our GIST patient community.”
– Sara Rothschild, Executive Director of The Life Raft Group
SARC Meeting
Dr. Jonathan Fletcher discusses genomic instability in GIST and the great collaborative work looking at models on TKI resistance.
Dr. William Tap talked about rethinking how clinical trials are designed for rare tumor types at the SARC meeting Day One of ASCO23.
Presentations & Posters
Dr. Erika Kaschak, NIH, discussing the “Longitudinal follow-up and outcomes of pediatric and adult patients with SDH-deficient GIST” poster.
Patient Forum on “Communicating the Needs of People with Cancer”, moderated by Dr. Fumiko Chino, radiation oncologist, MSKCC.
Dr. Jonathan Trent, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the latest data from the INTRIGUE trial.
Dr. Kim Perez, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, shared her study of TMZ + olaparib for paraganglioma/ pheochromocytoma patients.
Dr. Lindsey Hildebrand, Boston University talks about her poster “Clinical utility of liquid-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).”
ASCO23 Photo Gallery
Volunteer Chris Bayard & Sara Rothschild are ready for a full day of meetings!
Jim Hughes & Sara Rothschild start off day one with the SARC meeting.
Jim & Sara met with a few of the LRG Medical Advisory Board members: Dr. Jonathan Trent, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Michael Heinrich, OSHU Knight Cancer Institute, Dr. Neeta Somaiah, MD Anderson, Dr. Gary Schwartz, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Sara and Jim catch up with Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, NCI Director.
Sara and Zhenhai Shen, CEO NewBay Pharma, which is currently conducting a Phase I trial for NB003 to address advanced GIST.
Sara with Jim Baker, Senior VP Corporate Affairs & Marcie Reeder, Director, Global Patient Affairs, Blueprint Medicines (Ayvakit/avapritinib).
Jim & Sara with Brian San Francisco, Data Strategy & Sales, Katie Marshall, Operations Manager, Strategic Projects, TEMPUS
Jim & Sara with Alexis Borisy, Co-founder & Chairman of Curie.Bio
Sara & Jim with the Ascentage Pharma team, who released positive, updated data on olverembatinib for SDH-deficient GIST at ASCO23.
Jim & Sara with the INHIBRx team: Brittany Beach, Associate Director, Regional Marketing Liaison, Dean Wagner, Sr. Director Medical Strategy & Operations, Charbel Helalaihel, VP Marketing (Currently running Phase 1 trials of INBRX-109 w/temozolomide for SDH-deficient GIST.)
Sara with Drs. Vicky Keedy and Libby Davis of Vanderbilt Health, Dr. Nam Bui of Stanford, and Dr. Michael Wagner, Fred Hutch Cancer Center.
Sara caught up with Novartis alum Geoff Cook who now spends time supporting the mission of The Max Foundation regarding global access for the cancer community.
Sara and the SELNET team – Dr. Javier Martín-Broto, Nadia Hindi and their team.
Sara Rothschild, Jim Hughes & Deciphera team (Qinlock/ripretinib)
Sara and Dr. George Demetri, Director of the Sarcoma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Sara & Jim with the team from Cogent Biosciences, talking updates on the Peak is a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating bezuclastinib (CGT9486) + sunitinib.
Our duo met with Andie Yost from The Max Foundation to discuss how we can partner together to support global access to GIST Treatments.
Donate today to our Fueling GIST Research
Fundraising Campaign Today!
Resources
1 https://conferences.asco.org/am/why-attend
