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Logo for Lauren’s Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund

Hero Fund
Lauren’s Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund

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We live every day with hope, but we want more. We want modern, successful treatments for children with brain tumors. The goal of this fund is to make it possible for a researcher to include pineoblastoma/PNET for existing or in new brain tumor treatments. Please help us make this happen with St. Baldrick’s.
$101,557
Total Funds Raised
 Since 2018

The Story Behind This Hero Fund

Our daughter, Lauren, has an aggressive, fast growing, malignant brain tumor called pineoblastoma a type of PNET tumor. She first fought it at aged 3 and again at aged 5. Despite spending about half her life in active treatment she is a happy 8 year old. She continues to defy the less than 5% chance of survival she was given at relapse, however, I cannot say she is healthy. She falls in an undefined category because chemo stopped working, yet she has visible tumors in her brain and spine. They haven’t grown in 2 years, but doctors think there is too much tumor burden to stay dormant, but they don’t know.

Living MRI to MRI is both pure joy and pure fear at same time. If her tumors start to grow again, we have no treatment options left. I have people tell me all the time, “kids do so much better with cancer than adults” or “they are making such strides with cancer research.” I know this opinion is usually based on personal, painful experience with cancer. BUT…No, NO! These statements are not true.

Let me give you an example: In Lauren’s first treatment protocol she received a drug called Thiotepa It is an orphan drug developed in the 1950s. Let me reiterate this, it was developed in the 1950s-- almost 70 years ago!

We live every day with hope, but know the next isn’t guaranteed. We want more than hope. We want modern, successful treatments for Lauren and other child with PNETs and pineoblastomas. Brain tumor research overall is wildly underfunded, not to mention pediatric brain tumor research. With this research fund our goal is to make it possible for a researcher to include pineoblastoma/PNET for existing or in new brain tumor treatments.

Please help us make this happen with St. Baldrick’s.

Highlights & Happenings

  • Lauren's Facebook & Journey

    Please check out Lauren’s Facebook page page to learn more about her journey and our efforts to fund pineoblastoma research.

  • Lauren's Diagnosis & Why St. Baldrick's

    Learn more about Lauren, her diagnosis, relapse and why we are working with St. Baldricks’s.

  • Honored Children of the Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund

    Visit this page to learn about the Honored Children of the Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund.

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Funding in Action

Donations made to Lauren's Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund have funded a St. Baldrick’s Research Grant for Richard Lu, Ph.D. at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is guided by a Scientific Advisory Committee, comprised of leading experts in the childhood cancer community, to ensure that every dollar makes the greatest impact for kids with cancer.

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Who's Involved

These people make us smile - they're the doers and money-raisers on behalf of the Lauren's Pediatric Pineoblastoma Fund. They're shaving their heads, hosting events, starting fundraisers and more to make childhood cancer research possible.

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Get Involved Your Own Way

  • Create An Event

    Start your own St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event to support our Hero Fund! A dedicated staff member will guide you every step of the way—and you’ll have fun doing something great for kids with cancer.

    Start an event

  • Be a Shavee

    Register to shave your head and support our Hero Fund at any St. Baldrick’s event worldwide! No event nearby? Go virtual and shave anytime, anywhere.

    Register Now

  • Start a Fundraiser

    Not into head-shaving? No problem! Start a fundraiser for our Hero Fund doing something you love—bike a marathon, host a bake sale, anything goes!

    Start a fundraiser

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Private events are for people at the company, organization, school, etc., where the event is taking place.