Turning Heartbreak into Hope: Meet the Champions of Hope
May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and at the Beth Boone Buech Foundation, we believe that “awareness” is only the beginning. To truly change the story for families facing a Glioblastoma diagnosis, we need action. We need leaders. We need Champions.
The Champions of Hope are a select group of community advocates, family members, and local leaders who have stepped up to lead the charge this May. Each Champion has committed to raising $2,000 with a collective goal of $25,000 to fuel the groundbreaking work happening right here in Indiana.
Where Does Your Support Go?
When you donate through a Champion’s page, 100% of your gift goes directly to the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.
This isn’t just a general donation. Your support provides the “fuel” for Dr. Karen Pollok’s Lab, allowing researchers like Dr. Nur Damayanti to devote dedicated time to:
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Sequencing Tumors: It costs roughly $400 to sequence one patient’s tumor—a critical first step in precision medicine.
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Building a World-First Database: Creating a Glioblastoma patient data library that does not exist anywhere else in the world to help doctors outsmart this disease.
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Breaking Barriers: Developing new models to test how existing drugs can penetrate the protective blood-brain barrier.
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Leading to Cures: Moving research toward clinical trials where surgical and immunotherapy options can turn a terminal diagnosis into a manageable, residual disease.
Glioblastoma is aggressive and relentless, but so are our Champions. Whether you give $10 or fund the full $400 for a tumor sequencing, you are standing with our researchers as they work to turn “impossible” into “treatable.”
Meet Our Champions
Mark Kusatzky
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Bob and Kathy Lowry
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Kelly Poole
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Michelle Maddox and Lisa Calderon
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Amy Lamar
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Karen Young
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Deke and Dan Holt
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Steve and Marie Boone
The Champions of Hope campaign fuels the Joanne I. Carey Glioblastoma Research Fund at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, turning local donations into global breakthroughs. By funding their research, we are supporting a world-first data library and providing Dr. Karen Pollok’s lab with the dedicated time and tools needed to outsmart the blood-brain barrier. Our goal is to move beyond ‘treatment’ toward potential cures through surgical and immunotherapy innovations, ensuring that when the next family hears the word Glioblastoma, they also hear the word Hope.
Total Raised: $
Get in Touch. Get Involved.
Make a difference with us – attend events, volunteer, spread awareness, donate, or create a fundraiser to amplify our collective impact.