Our Initiatives

Vaccine-Based Sarcoma Research at the University of Michigan Update

In early March, we posted an announcement on our website about the vaccine-based sarcoma research that we are jointly funding with the Brian Morden Foundation (see the sidebar, below). A few weeks ago, we visited with Dr. Geiger and other physicians at the University of Michigan. It was a wonderful visit, full of hope. We are quite excited about the potential outcomes of this research. The University of Michigan is developing a website related to the study and as soon as it is completed, we will post a link to it. In the meantime, here are a few photos from our trip that we though you might enjoy.

From left to right: Dr. Hutchinson, Dawn Morden, Fred Morden, Dr. Geiger, Beverly Shriver, Bruce Shriver, Tom Swartz, Dr. Levine, and Dr. Hirschl.

Fred and Dawn Morden presenting Dr. Geiger with a special certificate of appreciation from the Brian Morden Foundation

Beverly and Bruce Shriver gave Dr. Geiger, an avid cyclist, a Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative T-Shirt. Dr. Geiger will be biking as a virtual Team Sarcoma member (see Cycle Zydeco, below) while he is on vacation with his family in Florida.

Personal Tragedies Bring Hope to Sarcoma Patients

Developing a Vaccine for Treating Sarcoma is a Primary Goal

January 28, 2005 — The Brian Morden Foundation and the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative have joined forces to fund research on a vaccine to treat recurrent and relapsed Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare cancer. The vaccine is being developed by a team of oncology specialists at the University of Michigan Medical Center led by Dr. James D. Geiger. This study continues an initial Phase I Clinical Trial funded by the National Institutes of Health that Dr. Geiger and his team initiated. Funds from the Brian Morden Foundation and the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative, in addition to grants from the University of Michigan will allow doctors to offer a new alternative to patients whose traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy have failed. For more details, see the press release.

Cycle Zydeco

This issue is being posted a day or two early because we start our 200-mile, 4-day bike tour as part of Cycle Zydeco for sarcoma awareness and research funding early tomorrow morning (March 31st) from Lafayette, Louisiana. There will be over 60 of us wearing Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative armbands biking during the ride. Each of the 350 cyclists is receiving a "Sarcoma Facts" sheet in their registration packet. Seventeen of us officially form "Team Sarcoma 2005" in this event. We're being joined by virtual Team Sarcoma bikers, walkers and runners in Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, California, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Oregon, and New York who will bike, run or walk on the same days we are biking here in Louisiana to help raise public awareness of sarcoma.

We encourage you to visit The Initiative's website.

Sarcoma Facts

The list of "Sarcoma Facts" that appears on our website has been translated into 15 languages. Click here to see these translated lists. These lists have been used on Team Sarcoma T-shirts and on posters, hand-outs, etc. in several different countries. Please contact us if you would like to assist us in translating the Sarcoma Facts to one or more additional languages.

Feedback and/or Volunteer

We would appreciate receiving any comments or questions regarding the content of this column as well as a note from those of you who would like to volunteer to help us with our efforts. Click here to send us a note.