Honoring Owen Verwest: Fighting Pineoblastoma

I'm hoping to put my Sept. 25, 2022 Chicago Half Marathon miles to good use - I'm raising funds and awareness for my Partner Classmate Michelle Verwest & her family. I've set an aggressive target, $26,200 ($2k for every mile I intend to complete), but all efforts to research and combat Pineoblastoma need to be aggressive.

All funds will go straight to Michelle, to be donated to the organizations which have made the biggest impact in her son Owen's journey battling childhood cancer.

I asked Michelle to provide a bit of info for this page, so you can hear her story straight from the source: [PS - more photos at the end!]

"In September 2021, life changed forever when our 3 year old, Owen, was diagnosed with Pineoblastoma: a rare and very aggressive (grade 4 of 4) brain tumor. He underwent brain surgery immediately to remove the tumor, and in October embarked on an intensive 3 month course of chemotherapy followed by an even more intensive 3 months of 3 back to back autologous stem cell transplants. After that he and his family spent 2 months in Boston for focal proton radiation to the tumor bed, and for the next 2 years he will be participating in a trial for a drug that we hope will lower his chance of recurrence.

Brain tumors are the deadliest form of childhood cancer. Despite being tumor-free and in great spirits, we know the odds are stacked against Owen, with most publications citing Pineoblastoma’s “dismal prognosis.” More research is needed to understand why these cancers happen, and how to cure the children while maintaining quality of life. Pediatric cancer research is underfunded to begin with, so there is very little research into rare cancers like his. The Filbin Lab is performing research specifically on Pineoblastoma tumors, in an effort to understand the cause/origin of this disease and with the goal of developing targeted therapies that are more successful and less harmful to children who have this diagnosis. In fact, the Director of Philanthropy at the Dana Farber Institute, upon hearing of our goal here said, 'This is a lot [of money]. This area is so underfunded, it will really make an impact.'

https://filbinlab.dana-farber.org/research.html

- Michelle"

^right after brain tumor surgery

^Christmas in the hospital with Big Sister after Chemo Round 3

^Last Chemo cycle!

^Feeling better in Boston :)