Dear Abby's Corner Community,
Happy Spring! Welcome to the revamped Abby's Corner Newsletter! We are thrilled to release a new edition each month as part of our ongoing efforts to keep you informed and engaged in the fight against Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).
Starting this month, you can expect to receive our newsletter regularly, providing you with comprehensive updates on the latest research developments, inspiring patient stories, upcoming events, and more. Our goal is to create a platform where you can stay connected with our foundation and the progress we are collectively making in our mission to combat DIPG.
Through these newsletters, we aim to not only share important information but also to celebrate the incredible progress made possible by your generous support. Each edition will highlight the impact of your contributions, spotlight the researchers and clinicians at the forefront of DIPG research, and honor the courageous children and families who inspire us every day.
Subscribe to our blog and follow our social media pages to ensure you never miss an Abby's Corner update!
Abby's Corner Walk-A-Thon:
Year two of our annual Walk-A-Thon has arrived! Walk with us starting May 17, 2024, in our fight against DIPG. This year, all registered participants are able to join teams so that you can walk alongside your friends, family, and coworkers in this effort.
We encourage participants to get competitive and showcase their fundraising ability while stacking up the miles. Plenty of prizes will be awarded to the leading individuals and teams for the most money raised and the most miles walked. Join us at our capstone event on June 15, 2024, for additional raffle prizes and plenty of fun in support of a great cause.
Registration for the Abby's Corner Walk-A-Thon is now open. Every participant who signs up will receive an Abby's Corner Walk-A-Thon t-shirt. Please click the button to visit our event page and get active in the fight against DIPG!
First Quarter Programming Recap:
2024 DIPG/DMG Collaborative Meeting
We have been hard at work through the first quarter of 2024. In late March, we traveled to Mobile, Alabama, to participate in the biannual DIPG/DMG Collaborative Partner Meeting. Check out our blog post detailing the weekend!
2024 Memorial Scholarship
We are thrilled to announce our 2024 Abigail O. Adewunmi Memorial Scholarship recipients! We extend our warmest congratulations to Trinity Clark and Natania Philippe, two outstanding students from King High School. We wish them all the best in their academic careers. Learn more about our scholarship recipients by clicking the button below!
DIPG Information and Research Update:
The Promising Pathways Act
In each newsletter, we want to spotlight updates or research in the DIPG sphere that could have significant implications for patients and families. Today, we want to share information about the Promising Pathways Act.
As DIPG/DMG Collaborative members, we are helping facilitate the passage of the Promising Pathways Act through Congress. This act intends to make potentially life-saving treatments more accessible to entire classes of pediatric patients facing rare, terminal diseases. It aims to make provisionally approved medicine more accessible and to mandate the usage of observational registries, enhancing transparency and our collective ability to study provisionally approved medicine.
Please click the button to visit our blog post for a comprehensive overview of how the Promising Pathways Act could transform DIPG treatment and provide families currently in the fight with hope.
Nemours Children's Hospital Grant
As DIPG/DMG Collaborative members, we contributed to a $50,000 grant awarded to Dr. Westmoreland, who is pursuing innovative Zika viral therapy that might offer a cure for not only DIPG and DMG but also other brain tumors.
Dr. Westmoreland's lab saw a greater than 90% loss of DIPG tumor mass in early cell lines and mouse models. While this is encouraging, there is plenty of work to be done to establish this as a potential treatment for children diagnosed with DIPG, and we are grateful to be able to support that work due to the generosity of the Abby's Corner community.
Click the button below to check out our participation in the award of the $50,000 grant.
Patient and Family Highlight
We know too well the financial obstacles that families face when combatting a DIPG diagnosis. Thus, Abby's Corner is now offering financial support to families currently in the fight that require assistance.
In doing so, we will be sharing the journies of brave children and families battling DIPG. Our hope is that the Abby's Corner community will rally around these children in a manner that provides strength and encouragement to these families while spotlighting the dire need for meaningful research and treatment.
Thank You
As we reflect on the progress we've made and the challenges that lie ahead, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Your generosity, compassion, and unwavering support are the driving force behind our efforts to find a cure for DIPG.
Together, we are bringing hope to families affected by this devastating disease and working towards a future where every child facing a DIPG diagnosis can look forward to a long and fulfilling life.
We hope that you will continue to partner alongside us and contribute to our collective efforts at combatting DIPG. Please give today and consider becoming a recurring donor, fully committed to our efforts to beat cancer's biggest bully.
With deepest appreciation,
Daniel Adewunmi
Executive Director
Abby's Corner