New Kansas nonprofit foundation makes a huge impact on rare cancer
Olathe, KS – Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University ("Weill Cornell") located in New York, NY has been awarded $240,000 over a 2-year period from the Thymic Carcinoma Center headquartered in Olathe, Kansas for the development of new models of Thymic Epithelial Tumors (TET's). This research will provide novel preclinical models of human thymic tumors. These models are essential for better understanding the biology of these tumors, identifying unique targets, and testing novel therapies for Thymic Cancers. "Thymic Carcinoma Center is committed to providing Thymic Carcinoma patients with education, cancer wellness, and financial assistance as well as funding critical biomedical research within the medical community. "We are excited and committed to providing these much-needed funds for the research of Thymic Cancers, given its rarity, research surrounding these cancers is often underfunded," says Michael Delaney, President & Executive Director of Thymic Carcinoma Center.
Thymic Carcinoma is a rare form of cancer that affects the Thymus gland. Approximately 1 in 1.5 million people globally are diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma each year. That means that less than 300-400 people per year in the United States will be diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma. Although rare, this form of cancer is very aggressive with a 5-year survival rate of 25-30%. Oftentimes patients are not diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma until the disease has already reached Stage IV. We are now seeing an increasing number of people being diagnosed with this orphan cancer every year and that is across all age groups, genders, races, and nationalities. Our hope is that continuing to fund progressive research like this will make it easier to diagnose Thymic Carcinoma earlier in many patients and increase the odds of survival for all those who receive this diagnosis.
Thymic Carcinoma Center (TCC) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of patients and caregivers of those currently diagnosed and undergoing treatment for Thymic Carcinoma. We aim to support their journey through our core values of education, cancer wellness, patient financial assistance, and medical research. Through our funding, we aspire to find more targeted and advanced therapies and ultimately a cure for this rare cancer while helping to ensure patients are supported, healthy and happy.
Thymic Carcinoma Center is the result of the idea and vision of its founding members. Formed in 2015 and was formally recognized as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit in March of 2021. The group has grown from 4 members to now over 745 fellow Thymic Carcinoma patients and their families/patient advocates. We are represented in over 54 different countries around the world as well as 47 of the 50 US states. Visit our website at www.thymiccarcinomacenter.com for more information and/or to apply for funding for a medical grant at www.thymiccarcinomacenter.com/medicalresearchgrant.