Cause for Celebration

The Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research was created and is supported by gifts from family and friends of Katie Gerstenberger, who died at the age of 12 after enduring 10 months of grueling chemotherapy and an 18-hour surgery.

We founded this endowment with the aim to change the way cancer is treated, and to prevent other families from enduring the heartache which Katie and we have experienced.

The wonderful news we have to share is the fact that in the eight years since her passing, Katie's endowment has grown to over $310,000, and donates its income to fund immunotherapy research, which is today saving lives, without chemotherapy or surgery!

In 2015, the endowment sent $11,073 of its income to support the research of Dr. Michael Jensen in his lab at the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. The remission rate in their work has been 91%, and these are cases of relapsed cancer (which is more difficult to treat)! It is gratifying to see this work succeed, and gain even more momentum. If you would like to read an update on this work, please follow this link. One of Dr. Jensen's colleagues is Dr. Rebecca Gardner, who was on Katie's care team, and is featured in the article with him.

Thank you, family and friends who have supported, and continue to support, Katie's endowment. Seattle Children's Hospital will be sharing further updates in the coming months, so stay tuned! If you'd like to know how you can help, please contact me at karengberger at gmail dot com.

2014 Financial Report

We received the 2014 Annual Financial Report for the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research. It contains GOOD news.

• Market Value on 3/31/2013: $192,743
• Contributions between 4/1/13 and 3/31/14: $27,820
• Market Value as of 3/31/14: $238,316
• Distributions to Program (to the Jensen Lab at the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research): $8,496

That means that your generous donations and support have generated eight thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars THIS YEAR for cancer research!

This research has already saved the lives of two cancer patients who had no other treatment options. The research will continue and expand to other types of cancers because of the continuing distributions generated by the principal of this endowment (combined with other sources). Your gifts are giving hope, care and cure to patients and their families - and saving lives.

These breakthroughs in curing cancer come just seven years after Katie's passing, and they are a beautiful legacy for her.

 Thank you for helping to create that legacy!

Another Patient in Remission!

Seattle Children's Hospital's Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research has announced that the second patient in the (PLAT)-01 clinical trial of therapy for relapsed leukemia at the is in remission! This is the work which the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment (and the Ben Towne Foundation) supports. Both Dr. Gardner and Dr. Park treated Katie when she was in the hospital, and she would be thrilled with their success, and the good work which her endowment is supporting and moving forward.

You can read all about it here:
From hopeless to cancer free

Phase II Clinical Trial Approved & JUNO THERAPEUTICS

Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research Profile from ben towne foundation on Vimeo.

Just before Christmas, we received this good news from the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research's Jensen Lab (which the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment supports):

“The FDA’s authorization of our second pediatric leukemia T cell therapy protocol is a milestone for the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. This trial will allow us to treat patients age 12 months-27 years of age who are in the worst possible situation—relapse after bone marrow transplantation.  We will be able to enroll and treat patients on an accelerated time table with our latest version of the reprogrammed T cell product that was developed in our laboratories here at BTCCCR with the help of our generous donors.  One exciting element of this trial called PLAT-02 is that it is a combined Phase I trial to establish safety that then rolls in to a larger Phase II trial to establish efficacy. 

"We know for many children that we treat, this will be their last chance to beat their leukemia.” - Michael C. Jensen, MD

Dr. Rebecca Gardner (who speaks in the video above) was one of Katie's doctors.

Dr. Pollard on the left, Katie and Dr. Gardner on the right, December 2006

 And there is more good news: the formation of "a new biotechnology company focused on bringing forward novel immunotherapies for cancer," called Juno Therapeutics. This is a joint venture of Seattle Children's Research Institute (of which the BTCCCR is part), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering. You can visit their website to learn more: junotherapeutics.com

The site contains press releases with fabulous news of over $145 million in venture capital committed to supporting this research. You can access the press releases here:

• Leading Cancer Research Centers Team Up to Launch Biotech Startup Focused on Cancer Immunotherapy
• Juno Announces New Investments, Leadership Appointments

Two scientists who we know personally (and admire deeply), Kendall Mohler, Ph.D. and Dr. Michael Jensen, are key  members of the Juno team. I am thrilled to know that the torch is being carried by such compassionate, brilliant, talented, accomplished scientists. 

The potential of this venture is unlimited. It is what I dreamed might be possible in the first dark months after Katie's passing. To see it happening, right here in Seattle, is truly a dream-come-true, and an answer to prayers.

FABULOUS NEWS!

We have FABULOUS news at the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research. Because of your generosity - you, our family and friends - the value of the endowment is now at an all-time high of $224,168!
This is beyond our wildest dreams of what would be raised in Katie's memory, and she would be thrilled. She would also be thrilled with the advancements in cancer research, and the hope that this means for patients like her. Here is a news flash from the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research (which Katie's endowment supports):

  "NEWSFLASH FROM THE BEN TOWNE CENTER:

"The second clinical trial application using reprogrammed T cells was submitted to the FDA today! This trial (PLAT-02) will be for relapsed pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (post-transplant).

"Our thanks to the entire team at the Ben Towne Center for your incredible efforts!"

The principal of Katie's endowment remains in trust at Seattle Children's Hospital; the income from Katie's endowment is donated to the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research (BTCCCR) each year (usually 2x a year).

If you would like to take a tour of the BTCCCR, let me know and I will help you arrange it.

HOPE is HERE, NOW, Because of YOU

Thank you.

You have made this miracle possible with your donations to the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment, through our support of the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research.

Katie would be happy and proud that her memory inspired you to give to her endowment, and even more delighted that your support has brought HOPE, HERE and NOW, for cancer patients. 

This means we are closer to an end to suffering from treatments, damaging side effects and more, Because of Katie, 

and because of you.

THANK YOU 

for helping to make this dream come true!