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- Posted Tuesday April 17, 2018
Casey Strale Foundation tops $150,000 in gifts to TGen
Memory of teenage hockey player spurs research in rare ACC cancer
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — April 17, 2018 — The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, today received about $11,400 in support of its work on Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma (ACC), thanks to the fundraising efforts of an Orange County organization dedicated to the memory of a 16-year-old boy who succumbed to this extremely rare cancer.
The Casey Strale Foundation, formed in memory of a boy with an outsized love of hockey and other sports, has now raised more than $150,000 for TGen ACC research, following its “Tasting it Forward” benefit April 8 at Orange Coast Winery.
“Casey was all about passion and inspiration,” said his mother, Traci Strale, recalling her teenager’s 4-year battle to overcome his disease, including open-heart surgery and the rescission of a grapefruit-sized tumor from his abdomen.
“He did not want to be the kid with cancer, he just wanted to be a normal kid and not dwell on his illness,” she said of Casey, who overcame many physical obstacles to move from roller hockey, to competing in national tournaments, to ice hockey and teaching younger kids how to skate. “Hockey was his first love. When he was in the rink, there was no cancer. No pain. No worries. Just a boy, a stick, a puck and a net. Casey was an inspiration to others to find your passion, and live your life large.”
ACC is a cancer of the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys. It affects only one or two people per million, and there is no cure or effective treatment.
At TGen, Dr. Sunil Sharma, Professor and Director of TGen’s Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery, is working to develop new and better treatments for patients like Casey.
“We are grateful to the Casey Strale Foundation for their support of our research into this rare and still mysterious cancer,” said Dr. Sharma, who also is TGen Deputy Director for Clinical Sciences.
This was the second annual wine tasting event for the Casey Strale Foundation. The organization also has organized “Casey’s Cup,” a 3-on-3 ice hockey tournament held the past three years in Anaheim, Calif., to benefit TGen ACC research. The next tournament is planned for April 13, 2019.
To contribute to the Casey Strale ACC Research Fund at the TGen Foundation, please visit: https://www.tgen.org/giving/celebration-of-life/special-funds/casey-strale-acc-research-fund/
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About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes, and infectious diseases, through cutting edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and cancer and diabetes treatment center: www.cityofhope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. For more information, visit: www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen
Media Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
