The Kira Poccia Memorial Fund
Donation protected
Kira will forever live on in our hearts, minds, and souls! She was known as an amazing mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, and neighbor. Kira hoped that she left a positive impact on the world (and she sure did). She said that everyone had a blueprint and it was their responsibility to make a difference with it.
Kira left us on December 16, 2018 after a twenty two year battle with brain cancer. She was fifty six years old. She was originally diagnosed with astrocytoma in 1996 when she was just thirty four years old.
Kira was a "star patient" according to her neurologist. She spent twenty years cancer free along side her husband Nick. Together they raised their only daughter Maria. Kira was a true miracle, seeing as astrocytoma usually reoccurs within five to ten years of original diagnosis. When her daughter graduated in 2016 from college, she thought she was totally in the clear.
However, Kira was rediagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, in early 2017. After having a second brain surgery, Kira began at home chemotherapy treatments. In December 2017, her team discovered a reoccurrence, this time even stronger than earlier in the year. In January 2018, Kira had a third brain surgery, then a shunt surgery in February. In March she began proton therapy radiation that lasted six weeks, and then began targeted therapy treatments. Unfortunately, glioblastoma is a ruthless disease, and there were no longer any treatments that could keep the tumor at bay.
To honor Kira's blueprint, her family will be using the donations from this memorial fundraiser to establish a foundation in Kira's honor. The foundation's goal is to help other families going through the brain cancer experience by:
-Raising awareness for brain cancer
-Providing families with funds for
-Medical equipment and supplies
-Hiring additional help
-Gas gift cards to fund treatment travel
-Telling the story of those impacted by brain cancer
Any donation is greatly appreciated and will be put to great use. The fund is being administered by Nick and Maria Poccia, who have established the account in the foundation's name and 100% of the proceeds will be distributed to them in order to start the foundation and being helping other families.
If you are not in a position to donate, no worries. Say a prayer, think of one of your stories about Kira, and smile while you take a minute to share it with someone. You know Kira was about joy and laughter! Was she fun to be around or what?
Kira Poccia was a very special person and touched us all in a way that she will keep giving to us forever! Thank you so much Kira! We love you and miss you everyday.
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Below are some facts about brain tumors/cancer from the National Brain Tumor Society
An estimated 700,000 Americans are living with a brain tumor. 80% tumors are benign and 20% tumors are malignant
An estimated 78,980 people will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis in 201855,150 will be benign
23,830 will be malignant
The average survival rate for all malignant brain tumor patients is only 34.7%
Male: 33.8%
Female: 36.4%
For the most common form of primary malignant brain tumors, glioblastoma multiforme, the five-year relative survival rate is only 5.5%
An estimated 16,616 people will die from malignant brain tumors (brain cancer) in 2018
More than any other cancer, brain tumors can have lasting and life-altering physical, cognitive, and psychological impacts on a patient’s life. This means malignant brain tumors can often be described as equal parts neurological disease and deadly cancer. Even benign brain tumors can be deadly if they interfere with portions of the brain responsible for vital bodily functions.
There are more than 130 different types of brain tumors, many with their own multitude of subtypes. Despite the amount of brain tumors, and their devastating prognosis, there have only been four (4) FDA approved drugs – and one device – to treat brain tumors in the past 30 years. For many tumor types, surgery and radiation remain the standard of care. The four approved drugs for brain tumors have provided only incremental improvements to patient survival, and mortality rates remain little changed over the past 30 years. Between 1998 and 2014, there were 78 investigational brain tumor drugs that entered the clinical trial evaluation process. 75 failed. That is a 25:1 failure ratio in developing new brain tumor treatments over the past two decades.
Brain tumors have the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group, with an annualized mean net costs of care in 2010 US dollars at well over $100,000.
Kira, you'll always be staying alive!!
Kira left us on December 16, 2018 after a twenty two year battle with brain cancer. She was fifty six years old. She was originally diagnosed with astrocytoma in 1996 when she was just thirty four years old.
Kira was a "star patient" according to her neurologist. She spent twenty years cancer free along side her husband Nick. Together they raised their only daughter Maria. Kira was a true miracle, seeing as astrocytoma usually reoccurs within five to ten years of original diagnosis. When her daughter graduated in 2016 from college, she thought she was totally in the clear.
However, Kira was rediagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, in early 2017. After having a second brain surgery, Kira began at home chemotherapy treatments. In December 2017, her team discovered a reoccurrence, this time even stronger than earlier in the year. In January 2018, Kira had a third brain surgery, then a shunt surgery in February. In March she began proton therapy radiation that lasted six weeks, and then began targeted therapy treatments. Unfortunately, glioblastoma is a ruthless disease, and there were no longer any treatments that could keep the tumor at bay.
To honor Kira's blueprint, her family will be using the donations from this memorial fundraiser to establish a foundation in Kira's honor. The foundation's goal is to help other families going through the brain cancer experience by:
-Raising awareness for brain cancer
-Providing families with funds for
-Medical equipment and supplies
-Hiring additional help
-Gas gift cards to fund treatment travel
-Telling the story of those impacted by brain cancer
Any donation is greatly appreciated and will be put to great use. The fund is being administered by Nick and Maria Poccia, who have established the account in the foundation's name and 100% of the proceeds will be distributed to them in order to start the foundation and being helping other families.
If you are not in a position to donate, no worries. Say a prayer, think of one of your stories about Kira, and smile while you take a minute to share it with someone. You know Kira was about joy and laughter! Was she fun to be around or what?
Kira Poccia was a very special person and touched us all in a way that she will keep giving to us forever! Thank you so much Kira! We love you and miss you everyday.
------
Below are some facts about brain tumors/cancer from the National Brain Tumor Society
An estimated 700,000 Americans are living with a brain tumor. 80% tumors are benign and 20% tumors are malignant
An estimated 78,980 people will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis in 201855,150 will be benign
23,830 will be malignant
The average survival rate for all malignant brain tumor patients is only 34.7%
Male: 33.8%
Female: 36.4%
For the most common form of primary malignant brain tumors, glioblastoma multiforme, the five-year relative survival rate is only 5.5%
An estimated 16,616 people will die from malignant brain tumors (brain cancer) in 2018
More than any other cancer, brain tumors can have lasting and life-altering physical, cognitive, and psychological impacts on a patient’s life. This means malignant brain tumors can often be described as equal parts neurological disease and deadly cancer. Even benign brain tumors can be deadly if they interfere with portions of the brain responsible for vital bodily functions.
There are more than 130 different types of brain tumors, many with their own multitude of subtypes. Despite the amount of brain tumors, and their devastating prognosis, there have only been four (4) FDA approved drugs – and one device – to treat brain tumors in the past 30 years. For many tumor types, surgery and radiation remain the standard of care. The four approved drugs for brain tumors have provided only incremental improvements to patient survival, and mortality rates remain little changed over the past 30 years. Between 1998 and 2014, there were 78 investigational brain tumor drugs that entered the clinical trial evaluation process. 75 failed. That is a 25:1 failure ratio in developing new brain tumor treatments over the past two decades.
Brain tumors have the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group, with an annualized mean net costs of care in 2010 US dollars at well over $100,000.
Kira, you'll always be staying alive!!
Organizer
Maria Poccia
Organizer
North Wales, PA
