The road to finding a cure for childhood cancer may be long, but The Alex Mandarino Foundation (AMF) continued to make progress with the announcement of two significant grants.
As part of September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the AMF awarded two grants totaling $100,000 – $50,0000 to Dr. Andre Bachmann to fund his research at Michigan State University, and $50,000 to St. Jude’s Research Hospital.
“We were very proud to fund these grants in September which was pediatric cancer awareness month,” states Tony Mandarino, founder of the AMF. “Over the life of the AMF, we have provided over $700,000 in research dollars to various doctors and research hospitals to help fund promising research and trials. In total, we have provided approximately $750,000 with additional grants going to families with a child fighting pediatric cancer. I think it’s a great way to honor our first born.”
The funding for Dr. Bachmann’s research at MSU will be used on a drug that they have found to be effective in killing neuroblastoma cells in a controlled environment. Our funding will help provide badly needed capital to test this in advanced studies.
“Philanthropic investments like the AMF’s allow me to spend more time pursuing research opportunities. As a principal investigator of an academic research laboratory, I am responsible to conceive and oversee our research studies. Relying on federal funds alone is not feasible, which is why the momentum created by private donations, such as those from the Mandarino Foundation, are absolutely essential for the success of our research progress on neuroblastoma.” Shared Dr. Bachmann. “I am beyond words that can express my true gratitude for this generous gift to the Bachmann laboratory at the MSU College of Human Medicine. The AMF has supported us in previous years, which is testament to their dedication in finding a cure for neuroblastoma. I am impressed with Tony and Katie’s (co-founders of the AMF) relentless pursuit toward making a difference for children with neuroblastoma. Clearly their passion is real and can be felt instantly when you talk with them.”
A native of St. Joseph, Samantha Turk is a second-year student in the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She’s currently starting research in the lab of Dr. Michael Dyer in the department of Developmental Neurobiology. Her research, specifically, will be focusing on neuroblastoma.
“The Alex Mandarino Foundation has a very special place in my heart. It is one of the primary reasons I decided to pursue research and continues to be a source of inspiration as to why the research I do is important,” states Sam. “Funding through grants and donations is the way that science continues to progress. Pediatric cancers are considered rare and there are unique challenges in studying and treating them.”
Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall survival rate for childhood cancer from 20% when the hospital opened in 1962 to more than 80% today. In addition, St. Jude has achieved a 94% survival rate for ALL. The survival rate for ALL was only 4% when St. Jude opened in 1962. The survival rate for medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor, is 85% today for average risk disease. Despite all that progress, one in five children in the U.S. who are diagnosed with cancer will not survive. Globally, four in five children with cancer will not survive. St. Jude, ALSAC and our supporters are working hard to change this.
The AMF officially became a 501c3 in 2013 with a two-part mission – provide funds for childhood cancer research and provide funds for families in Southwest Michigan that have a child battling cancer. For more information on The Alex Mandarino Foundation, click here: www.thealexmandarinofoundation.org.
