GIST Cancer Research Fund 2015 Walk For A Cure, October 4, Rockland Lake State Park, Lot 1, Congers, NY

SAVE THE DATE, October 4, 2015! The GIST Cancer Research Fund’s 2015 Walk for a Cure, is Sunday, October 4, 2015 at Rockland Lake State Park, Lot 1, Congers, New York.

GIST or gastrointestinal stromal tumor is an extremely rare sarcoma cancer. There is no cure and it is a silent, deadly killer of children and adults. The WALK FOR A CURE is the only fundraiser of the year and 100% of all proceeds go to research. There is no registration fee and it is for a great cause. Free T-shirts and lunch will be provided for all participants (while quantities last). Details:

PLACE:

Rockland County State Park, Lot 1, North Side, Congers, New York

TIME:

Registration: 9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
Walk Start: 11:00 AM
(Donations requested in lieu of registration fee)

GUEST STAR:

Walt “Clyde” Frazier

New York City Icon and NY Knicks Basketball Legend
NBA Hall of Fame player
Television Sports Analyst

Cancer is a disease that has touched all of us. But what is GIST? GIST is an extremely rare sarcoma known as gastrointestinal stromal tumor. And, GIST Cancer is spreading. It is what the National Cancer Institute calls an orphan cancer because it affects a relative handful of patients and very little is known about it. It was so uncommon that it was often lumped with another sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma. GIST does not respond to chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Surgery is the only treatment and GIST returns 90 percent of the time.

A cancer that strikes just 8,500 Americans a year doesn’t attract national attention or federal money. When GIST researchers apply for grants, no matter how sound their science, they are usually turned down, with the federal research money going to the more popular cancers. This makes private funding from such nonprofit groups as the GIST Cancer Research Fund all the more important.

Doctors, surgeons, oncologists and most importantly, patients, need to be aware of what GIST is and where to find hope. Because of this, Tania and Robert Stutman formed the GIST Cancer Research Fund (GCRF), to raise awareness of GIST and raise money for GIST research. They also launched the GIST Web site, www.gistinfo.org to reach out to patients and families of GIST patients in their search for a cure. The GCRF is very important to the Stutmans for Tania is also a GIST patient.

The GIST Walks have become the largest annual gathering of GIST patients, caregivers, researchers, doctors and pharmaceutical company representatives in the world. More than 500 people from across the United States and as far away as Australia have participated in the Walk.

Six volunteers, all GIST patients or caregivers, serve on the board of directors and provide oversight for the nonprofit. GCRF is a registered charity in the U.S. (tax id # 13-4182988). All contributions are tax-deductible. One hundred percent (100%) of all the funds raised have and will continue to go directly for research on GIST cancer, under the advisement of Dr. Ephraim Caspar, GCRF’s chief medical advisor.

For more information, Tania Stutman, GCRF Chairperson at 845-634-6060 or Kathy Abbott, AbbottWalsh Creative Communications at 973-267-9213. For more information on GIST Cancer, go to www.gistinfo.org.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE JOIN US TO FIGHT GIST & SAVE LIVES!