Evan Joseph Gerstein Foundation | DonationMatch

About the Nonprofit

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Nonprofit Category: H - Medical Research
Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) (IRS Form 990 Filed)

Evan Joseph Gerstein Foundation is in honor of our son Evan who passed away at the age of 17 in 2018 due to complications from B cell ALL Leukemia. Our mission is to raise important funds for the treatment of pediatric cancers and the side effects their treatment causes.  

 
In the last fifty years, there have been dozens of new drugs approved to treat adult cancer, but only three for pediatric cancers. Yet, every child lost to cancer represents decades of life lost. Children comprise a relatively small number of patients, so private companies often do not have the financial incentive to invest in finding better treatments. Some of the drugs in Evan's initial chemotherapy regimen are more than fifty years old. If Evan had a new treatment that did not damage his immune system or options for more effective anti-fungal medications, he might still be with us today. There are so many kids like Evan that need more and better options to treat effectively and cure their pediatric cancer. All while preserving their health to live a full and long adult life. 


Our Mission

  • Better treatment for leukemia, especially for patients like Evan with mutations in their leukemic cells that make them difficult to treat. 
  • New treatments and diagnostic tools for those with fungal infections, which afflict not only cancer patients on chemotherapy but others with compromised immune systems.
  • Patient care for teens and young adults with cancer.

This year we have partnered with St. Jude Children’s Hospital working with the Mullighan Lab. This is particularly exciting since their research is focused on characterizing the genomic drivers of leukemia and treatment failure. Exactly the challenge Evan was dealing with and important research for those that have tough genetic markers like Evan. Evan’s treatment was the same as all pediatric leukemia patients but with this new research, there will be options to customize treatments for those with genetic markers that are particularly challenging. This will undoubtedly save lives! Here is a link to the lab and their research - https://www.stjude.org/research/labs/mullighan-lab.html

 
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. 

 
My best,

Mary Gerstein