Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation

Help me spread the word! I'm raising money to benefit the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation (ECEF) in honor of my uncle, Chuck Brinkman. Any donation will help make an impact! Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me and the Brinkman family.

Chuck Brinkman passed away from esophageal cancer (EC) in 2017 and I'm honored to have the opportunity to raise awareness of EC through him. EC is one of the fastest growing cancers, so early detection plays a huge role in treatment. ECEF informs people on symptoms of EC, provides patients with post-surgical guides, and offers support groups to families involved with this disease. I believe supporting this cause will aid future EC patients and families throughout their journeys.

I will be racing Oceanside 70.3 Half-Ironman on October 30th in his honor, and hope to reach my fundraising goal by then. The periwinkle ribbon will be on full display!

More information about Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation: The Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation (ECEF) is a non profit 501 C 3 corporation. Its Mission Statement is: To bring awareness and educate the public about esophageal cancer. To walk the journey with patients who have esophageal cancer. To support research projects that will lead to an early detection of this disease.

Hi Friends,

As most of you know, in September 2017, our father, Pete Licastro, lost his battle to Esophageal Cancer at 64 years young. Since his passing, Esophageal Cancer has taken the lives of three additional fathers in our social circle alone, with the youngest life lost at only 42 years old. This cancer doesn’t discriminate, is one of the deadliest, and currently has incredibly low funding rates when compared to other types of cancer.

Our father was an extremely generous person with a HUGE heart who always supported causes that were important to those who were close to him. During the last two years of his life, while fighting cancer, he dedicated his time to mentoring people recently diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer in efforts to help them navigate their diagnosis and treatment, aid in their coping efforts, and provide a positive perspective and support network.

In light of this, Jay and I feel that it’s time to follow in our father’s footsteps and match our hearts to his. Therefore, to rally for Esophageal Cancer awareness and fundraise for the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation, Jason and I have selected separate physical challenges that take place in April, which is fittingly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month! I am doing an intense 6-week workout challenge that spans into the month of April lead by the infamous Shaun T called Transform:20. Likewise, on April 13th, Jason will whip out the big guns and participate in “The Breakneck Point Trail Marathon”, which is a 26.2 mile race involving mountain climbing, rugged trails, and exposed cliffs. If my dad were alive, he would be the first person there supporting him, most likely with a glass of red in hand!

While we don’t expect anyone to adopt an intense workout regimen or run a full-trail marathon, we are asking that you increase your awareness of this deadly disease. Furthermore, we hope you’ll support us along our physical journeys while we push ourselves in honor of our father and others who have been impacted by Esophageal cancer. Your contributions to our Go Fund Me page are deeply appreciated. While we can’t bring our severely missed pops back, we can actively fundraise to prevent other families from experiencing what we did. All funding raised will be donated to the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation (information is on our page). We LOVE YOU all and cannot thank you enough for all the love and support you’ve provided to us throughout our dad’s illness and the time since then.

So much love,
Kristen & Jason Licastro

More information about Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation Inc (Ecef): The Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation (ECEF) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 2003 by Bart Frazzitta, an esophageal cancer survivor, and his wife Ginny. ECEF has 3 main Missions:

1. To raise awareness and educate the public and medical community about this disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ4qFYq3rSg

2. To walk the journey with patients who have this disease.
----We have conference call support groups for patients who have undergone the esophagectomy surgery

3. To support research projects in search of an early warning test for this disease and a cure of this disease. Over 90% of the revenue we received, verified by our Audited Financial Statement, goes to research and patient programs