Let’s bring this one home!  Thanks to you and this community, we have single-handedly created and funded the largest single charitable research grant dedicated to Osteosarcoma.  More importantly, our efforts are already translating into action in the laboratory to cure Osteosarcoma.  Through this event we have raised $900,000 towards a 3-year, $1.5 million research effort by Dr. Alex Huang and a team of researchers at Case Western University and Baylor that got underway last November. The research team is pioneering work on two fronts -- making the host environment in the lungs where osteo tumors nest and grow less hospitable, and attacking osteo tumors directly. We have only $600,000 to go to complete this grant and we know you can do it as we raised that much last year alone.  Help us make a difference for all kids suffering from Osteosarcoma today and those that will in the future.  With the incredible love and care of this community we can shine a bright light on less-understood pediatric cancers and give a big fat bear hug to everyone impacted by Osteosarcoma. We offer a few words below on each of our experiences this past year and our motivation and hope for this year’s event. --- Olivia Egge and John Varney

I am fortunate to tell you that as of now, I am a year and a half out of treatment with no signs of cancer.  I am also more excited than ever to raise the final bit of money needed to complete this $1.5 million research grant because I have spent much of this year and a half meeting and working with other Osteosarcoma patients and just seeing how important this grant is to me and to them.  This disease keeps touching new lives, taking lives and even for survivors it has lasting effects.  Although cancer-free, this year has been hard on me health-wise. In December I noticed a growing lump on my leg—every osteo survivor’s biggest fear. After a series of inconclusive tests, we had to surgically determine what the lump was. Fortunately, the lump was just scar tissue, but the procedure may have led to other complications.  A month later, my knee swelled up because my metal implant became infected.  This resulted in a 3½ hour surgery to try and fix the problem.   If that does not work we will have to replace my implant in yet another surgery. This is life after Osteosarcoma. 

That said, I know that I am one of the “lucky ones.” There are so many still battling this cancer in their bodies. I met with osteo patients of all ages at this year’s Osteosarcoma Conference and was happy to see how far some of my friends from the previous year had come; some no longer needing crutches and with a lot more hair, but it was also heartbreaking to see the lasting effects of chemo on old friends and WAY more new kids with osteo than the previous year. This drove home for me how many people’s lives we’d be improving if we could come up with better treatments and outcomes. 

Lastly, one of the hardest things this past year was the loss of Kelly Brodnik. Kelly was the first person I met who also had Osteosarcoma and her family was an incredibly helpful, early source of support to my mom and dad when I was diagnosed. Kelly and I would see each other at PT and since she was a year ahead of me and so naturally kind and generous, Kelly would give me insider chemo-tips that helped me deal with side effects. Kelly was out of chemo and thriving then, and a ray of hope and inspiration to me that I can get past this. Inexplicably, and this is the mystery we are all gathered here to solve, Osteosarcoma returned for Kelly and took her short life last fall.  Kelly is top of mind and heart for me this year and I am as determined as ever because of her.  So for all OsteoWarriors and OsteoAngels out there, lets please raise that last $600,000!  I know we can do it.  Thank you for your outstanding love and support.  Olivia Egge 

Hi everyone.  This is my second year with osteosarcoma.  It's been a long journey.  In the last year I've had thirty rounds of chemo, seven surgeries and over twenty supplemental immunotherapy treatments.  As I write this I'm getting ready for my fourth lung surgery.  On the bright side, I feel good and am excited to start college this Fall.  I'm so grateful for all the support my family and I have received.  It has been amazing.  And I'm also thankful for Olivia and her family and really proud to be part of this St. Baldrick's effort to raise the money to find a cure for this disease.  I wasn't able to be at the event last year because I was at Sloan Kettering, but this year I'll be there.  Look forward to seeing everyone at the event. John Varney

Join Ozone2019, and whether you decide to shave your head, volunteer, or donate, we hope you'll be a part of the excitement!