After all the fundraising, shipping and enjoyment of the art in the book, wanted to share an update with everyone about how the money we donated to the 2 organization: GameChanger and CureASPS and how it is being used to spread the good in the world.
GameChanger
Oct 23rd, 2015, Gamechanger had an epic visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and the Alabama Ronald McDonald House.
Thanks to the inspiration Kevin provided in life, and the kindness of you and your fellow artists, the $15K from the Gamer for Life artbooks proceeds, coupled with donations from the gaming community we had the honor and joy of delivering games, gaming stations (13) including the 10 portable units we created, and comfort food for 300 souls at Children’s and 200 souls at the Ronald Mc Donald House.
The food was Dreamland BBQ, with sweet tea, beans, ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken , salads, and banana pudding. Many families had never had Dreamland as it is a little expense, but they knew of Dreamland and loved the comfort. Most importantly, we sat with the staff, patients, families and shared stories of hope and inspiration. We had several parents of very recent cancer diagnosis sit with us and hold hands and let out a good cry. we shared with them that we understood, and to hold hope. When the leadership of the hospital, and Birmingham’s chamber of commerce heard how all of this had come from the goodness of gamers….they were awestruck of your work….You need to know that both facilities told us no one has ever done anything like this, and that it was the best day they can ever remember of people they have never met, doing so much for them.
Cure ASPS
We will deposit the check in “Team ASPS” account of the PMC, the non profit organization 501C3 which its tax ID is 04-2746912.
The money will then be transferred in full to the research on Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
This research is carried out by Dr. George Demetri, Dr. Massimo Loda and Dr. Ewa Sicinska.
Here is a short description of their research and as I mentioned on the phone, soon they will publish a summary of their collaboration with me in a scientific journal.
I am sharing two posters with explaination the significance of the studies for ASPS.
1. Selinexor (KPT-330), a Novel Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE), Shows Single Agent Efficacy Against Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS) In Vivo
This study demonstrates the potential use of a novel drug namely Selinexor for the treatment of Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma. This drug is now in several phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in human. Those clinical trials include patients with different solid and hematological cancers. Selinexor belongs to a new class of molecules that inhibit the function of the main nuclear export protein Exportin 1 (XPO1). Selinexor inhibits XPO1 function by binding to it and preventing it from carrying proteins from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm.
The study demonstrates that Selinexor treatment of Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma inhibits their growth and induces their death. When Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma cells where injected into mice, they created tumors that could be inhibited when the mice received selinexor treatment.
2. Preclinical Activity of Selinexor, an Inhibitor of XPO1, in Sarcoma
This study expands the previous study on Selinexor and compares the effects of the drug on Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma to several other types of sarcoma. Currently we have two available cell lines from Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma patients for preclinical studies. One is named ASPS-KY and the other ASPS-1. Interestingly, treatment of these two cell lines in plates (in vitro) shows that those cells are relatively resistant to the drug. However, very interestingly once the Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma cells are forming tumors in mice (in vivo), they become sensitive to Selinexor. Therefore suggesting that Selinexor may show favorite clinical therapeutic effects in Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma patients.
They also shared an update in their site:
http://www.cureasps.org/donation-for-asps-research-in-honor-of-kevin-kanai-griffith/