The Cancer Center at Valley Medical Center / UW Medicine
Valley Girls and Guys has made a significant impact through our donations totaling over $2.8 Million to The Cancer Center at Valley Medical Center. This funding supports various initiatives, including:
1. HOPE Patient Assistance Fund: Aimed at providing comprehensive support to oncology patients.
2. New Cancer Center Build-Out: Contributions are facilitating the development of Floor 3 in the new full-service Cancer Center.
3. Infusion Chairs: Donated in memory of loved ones to enhance patient comfort.
Key Contributions:
• Pledge of $500,000 (2018-2022): This was dedicated to funding advanced equipment like the SaviScout and HDR Machine and establishing the HOPE Patient Assistance Fund. The final payment was made during the 4th Annual Be The Hope Walk on July 16, 2022.
• March Events: An additional $79,460 raised for the HOPE (Helping Oncology Patients w/ Everything) Fund, also presented in July 2022.
• Acute Care Service Facility: $120,000 was allocated to open the first-ever Acute Care Service for all cancer patients, launched in Fall 2020. This facility provides specialized care for those experiencing severe symptoms due to treatment.
• Oncology Research Coordinator: A $50,000 donation at the 3rd Annual Be The Hope Walk (July 17, 2021) funded the placement of a dedicated coordinator to support patient care and treatment management.
• Pledge of $1,800,000 : Valley Girls & Guys! Announced a $1.8 M lead gift to launch The Cancer Center campaign -bringing HOPE to cancer patients in South King County!
• Cancer is the leading cause of death within Valley Medical’s service district of over 600,000 residents. These initiatives reflect a strong commitment to enhancing cancer care & supporting patients & their families through challenging times.
Seattle Children’s Hospital
There has always been a significant push to support groundbreaking research in pediatric cancer treatment & Valley Girls & Guys! was excited to support through the STRIvE-02 & High-Risk Leukemia clinical trials & other initiatives at Seattle Children’s. Here’s a summary of the key points regarding the trials & funding efforts:
STRIvE-02 Clinical Trial
• Purpose: The STRIvE-02 phase I trial aims to treat children with relapsed or refractory solid tumors, focusing on targeting the B7-H3 molecule using CAR T-cell therapy.
• Research Leaders: Dr. Park & Dr. Pinto are prioritizing this initiative, highlighting the importance of community support in advancing these clinical trials.
Previous Fundraising Efforts
• Children’s Circle of Care: Children’s Cancer Clinical Trials Fund, which helps finance studies across various cancer types & helps bridge the gap in treatment costs, so no child hears the word no.
High-Risk Leukemia Clinical Trials Fund
• Purpose: To cover genetic sequencing and the financial gap for participation in clinical trials for high-risk leukemia patients.
• Focus on Care: Dr. Todd Cooper emphasizes a comprehensive approach to care, ensuring families meet with all necessary experts at once to optimize treatment options.
Overall Impact
• Clinical Trials: The Seattle Children’s Cancer Clinical Trials Fund has facilitated numerous studies, improving survival rates for pediatric cancer patients & advancing innovative therapies.
• Community Involvement: Ongoing support from donors is crucial for expanding these trials & ensuring more children have access to life-saving treatments.
This community-driven effort showcases how fundraising & support can directly impact research and improve outcomes for children battling cancer. To date Valley Girls & Guys! has committed $576,050.00 to Seattle Children’s Hospital. If you’re interested in contributing or learning more, reach out to our organization! Every Child Matters.
UW Medicine Cancer Vaccine Institute
Valley Girls and Guys! is making significant strides in cancer research & treatment through our generous funding to the Cancer Vaccine Institute, totaling $944,958 for ovarian invasive breast cancer initiatives.
Addressing Ovarian Cancer:
• Vaccine Development: The funding supports the creation of a master cell bank, crucial for producing a vaccine aimed at preventing the recurrence of ovarian cancer. Researchers at the UW Medicine Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) have developed a multi-antigen vaccine targeting proteins that promote metastatic ovarian cancer.
• Clinical Trials: Researchers plan to manufacture the vaccine & conduct a “first in women” study to test its safety & immune response. If successful, further trials will investigate its effectiveness in preventing cancer recurrence.
• Investigational New Drug Application: Current studies are underway to ensure the vaccine can scale up for clinical trials and to assess immune responses in specific cell lines.
Targeting Invasive Breast Cancer:
• Vaccine & Chemotherapy Combination: A $60,000 contribution is designated for the first batch of a multi-antigen vaccine targeting proteins found in breast cancer stem cells. This vaccine will be tested in a Phase II clinical trial alongside chemotherapy for women with locally advanced breast cancer.
• Innovative Delivery Method: Researchers are exploring “electroporation,” a technique using small electrical impulses to enhance vaccine effectiveness, potentially leading to better immune responses against breast cancer proteins.
Additional Research Initiatives:
• Antigen Spreading: Dr. Nicole Kretzer’s project at CVI focuses on how the ovarian cancer vaccine activates immune cells to promote antigen spreading—developing immunity to various proteins beyond those directly targeted. Valley Girls and Guys! contributed $75,000 to this research.
• Further Research Funding: An additional $95,000 was donated for various projects, including:
- Cryopreservation Studies: Investigating methods to freeze & revive white blood cells for research, reducing the need for animal use.
- Vaccine Outcome Analysis: Studying the relationship between vaccine side effects & patient health outcomes to improve understanding & safety of cancer vaccines.
These efforts exemplify a commitment to advancing cancer treatment & research, with the potential to save lives through innovative therapies & improved patient care. These clinical trials don’t just help people in Seattle and/or Washington state but will change the world once completed & approved!
We truly are all in this together!
Camp Kesem at University of Washington
Sending Kids to Camp Kesem
Valley Girls & Guys has donated $92,225.00 to send 130 kids (ages 6 through 16) to Camp Kesem for one week Summer Camp for two years. This is a fantastic organization that helps children get through the trauma & pain of seeing a parent or loved one go through cancer treatments or losing the battle with cancer. We will continue to raise funds in partnership with Camp Kesem at University of Washington to help send more children to Camp Kesem in the future.
Casting for Recovery® (CfR)
Casting For Recovery
Valley Girls & Guys has committed $12,000 in funds to Casting for Recovery dedicated to 2020 & 2021’s retreat! They believe in our mission & heard our desire to serve more breast cancer survivors.
In 2024, Valley Girls and Guys! committed $10,000/Year for the next 5 years, bringing our grand total to $62,000 for CfR
CfR mission is to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique retreat program that combines breast cancer education & peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. The program offers opportunities for women to find inspiration, discover renewed energy for life & experience healing connections with other women & nature. CfR serves women of all ages, in all stages of breast cancer treatment & recovery, at no cost to participants.