2021 Kristen Ann Carr Fund Holiday Letter

Dear Friends,

We hope this holiday season finds you and your family in good health and great spirits. The last two years have reinforced the essential purpose and importance of gathering with family and friends which coincides with Kristen’s philosophy of “I want to live my life in the moment with the people I love.” 

We came together this past September 25th at Tribeca Grill for our 27th A Night to Remember Gala, and we were struck by the palpable excitement in the room. Drew Nieporent and Marty Shapiro provided a safe place for us to celebrate, and we can’t wait to be back together with them again next Fall. For many of us, it was our first time gathering in a large group since the pandemic began. Of course, the highlight of the event for us, as a family, was to be able to recognize the 38 Kristen Ann Carr Fund Fellows, several of whom were able to join us. 

From the very beginning, our focus was to train young physicians and that mandate, with your help, remains the backbone of what we do. We are delighted to welcome the 2022 Fellows to the KACF family:

Dr. Daniel C. Thomas is the KACF Surgery Fellow. As a second-year surgical oncology fellow, Dr. Thomas has two areas of research interest: the care of geriatric patients with sarcoma, as well as the development of a clinical trial aimed at treating patients with soft tissue sarcomas with a drug that can be injected directly into the tumor. 

Dr. Melanie Degliuomini is the KACF Medical Oncology Fellow. Dr. Degliuomini is a third-year pediatric fellow who’s primary clinical and research focus has been dedicated to studying the effects of cancer treatment on platelets within the pediatric oncology population.

 What makes sarcoma so challenging is there are more than 50 distinct types. Over the years we never shifted away from the priority of training doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering.  Our Fellows have become experts in the study of sarcoma and help sarcoma patients locate experts across the country, so they can treat this disease. 

Our partnership with MSK, which began with the fellowships, led to a series of expansive initiatives, including the funding of The Kristen Ann Carr Laboratory, where Dr. Cristina Antonescu leads a team making great strides in changing the odds of survival for people who develop sarcomas.  Also established was The Kristen Ann Carr Center for Sarcoma Treatment and Research, which coordinates research, surgery, medical care, and patient needs. The long-term goal of the KACF Center is to help reduce the number of people dying from sarcoma by driving discoveries that will lead to prevention, early diagnosis, and successful therapy.  

We hope you feel we are living up to the spirit Kristen exhibited during her too short life. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma is what claimed Kristen’s life, but it is because of your generosity that her spirit, and our work, lives on. Your support, emotional, spiritual, and financial, is a blessing every day of the year and we are grateful for each and every one of you.

 

Love,